THE BEHAVIOUR AND PHYSIOLOGY OF HERRING AND OTHER CLUPEIDS 365
et a1. (1959). Hydrographic surveys of these grounds before and after
spawning have led to many correlations between such factors as temperature, salinity and coastal influence and the onset of spawning.
2. Factors controiling spawning
Runnstr~rm ( 194 1 b) suggested that Norwegian herring responded
to a particular type of oceanic water. Hela and Laavaatu (1962)
reviewed the effect of temperature on spawning. They found that in
the spring, herring would spawn in water from &12"C, and in the
autumn from 8-15°C. Apparently different stocks responded to different temperature conditions. Although in general the herring spawns in
relatively shallow, coastal water, Devold (personal communication) and
Solovyev and Degtyarev (1957) reported herring spawning to 200-240 m.
Ci'upea pallasii spawns on weeds in the littoral zone (Rounsefell, 1930),
the eggs being often exposed at low tide. Ahlstrom (1954) described the
spawning places, times and temperatures of Surdinope caerulea.
Spawning was found from March to September but mainly in the spring
in temperatures from about 13-20°C. Cushing (1960) gave values of
8-17"C for the spawning limits of Sardina pikhurdw. Most authors
(e.g. Delsman, 1930 ; Devold, personal communication ; Schaeffer, 1937)
agree that clupeids do not spawn in total darkness. Vision presumably
plays a part in the selection of the spawning bed, and the exclusion of
light stopped the spawning of herring in aquaria (Holliday, 1960b).
Dragesund (1960) kept a number of herring in a netted cove and
found that spawning was delayed for 3 months and was then induced by
a rise in tcmpcraturc. Outram (1051) found that CZupea pai'hii wore
stimulatcd to Rpawn by a Ruddun iriflirx of frwh watw i n b tho tank.
Holliday (1 9601) could not find any direct stimulation of the apawning
of herring by either temperature or salinity fluctuations. Herring
selected a spawning bed On the basis of its general pattern-which was
most effective when it presented the fine broken appearance of the
gravel on which they normally spawned.
3. Spawning behuviour
Ewart (1884) and Holliday (1958) described the spawning behaviour
of the herring. The female pressed close to the bottom, depositing a
ribbon of eggs on to the substrate, while the male fish swimming above
the females released ribbons of milt into the water. There was no
pairing or courtship behaviour ; it was an indiscriminate, mam spawning.
At the end of the spawning the fish appeared exhausted and showed
signs of distress. Rounsefell (1930) and Schaeffer (1937) dewribcd the
et a1. (1959). Hydrographic surveys of these grounds before and after
spawning have led to many correlations between such factors as temperature, salinity and coastal influence and the onset of spawning.
2. Factors controiling spawning
Runnstr~rm ( 194 1 b) suggested that Norwegian herring responded
to a particular type of oceanic water. Hela and Laavaatu (1962)
reviewed the effect of temperature on spawning. They found that in
the spring, herring would spawn in water from &12"C, and in the
autumn from 8-15°C. Apparently different stocks responded to different temperature conditions. Although in general the herring spawns in
relatively shallow, coastal water, Devold (personal communication) and
Solovyev and Degtyarev (1957) reported herring spawning to 200-240 m.
Ci'upea pallasii spawns on weeds in the littoral zone (Rounsefell, 1930),
the eggs being often exposed at low tide. Ahlstrom (1954) described the
spawning places, times and temperatures of Surdinope caerulea.
Spawning was found from March to September but mainly in the spring
in temperatures from about 13-20°C. Cushing (1960) gave values of
8-17"C for the spawning limits of Sardina pikhurdw. Most authors
(e.g. Delsman, 1930 ; Devold, personal communication ; Schaeffer, 1937)
agree that clupeids do not spawn in total darkness. Vision presumably
plays a part in the selection of the spawning bed, and the exclusion of
light stopped the spawning of herring in aquaria (Holliday, 1960b).
Dragesund (1960) kept a number of herring in a netted cove and
found that spawning was delayed for 3 months and was then induced by
a rise in tcmpcraturc. Outram (1051) found that CZupea pai'hii wore
stimulatcd to Rpawn by a Ruddun iriflirx of frwh watw i n b tho tank.
Holliday (1 9601) could not find any direct stimulation of the apawning
of herring by either temperature or salinity fluctuations. Herring
selected a spawning bed On the basis of its general pattern-which was
most effective when it presented the fine broken appearance of the
gravel on which they normally spawned.
3. Spawning behuviour
Ewart (1884) and Holliday (1958) described the spawning behaviour
of the herring. The female pressed close to the bottom, depositing a
ribbon of eggs on to the substrate, while the male fish swimming above
the females released ribbons of milt into the water. There was no
pairing or courtship behaviour ; it was an indiscriminate, mam spawning.
At the end of the spawning the fish appeared exhausted and showed
signs of distress. Rounsefell (1930) and Schaeffer (1937) dewribcd the