Fundulus jenkinsi is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of F. jenkinsi and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female F. jenkinsi were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of coastal Fundulus spp. and Adinia xenica have been illustrated and their morphometrics and meristics recorded. While GSI indicated a F. jenkinsi spawning season from April through August, the ovarian histology suggested March through August was a more accurate season. The composition of the ovaries also suggested spawns occur multiple times in a single tidal cycle within a population and on the individual level. The diagnostic key reveals that branchiostegal rays are essential to separate young fundulids into two groups that can then be identified by pigment patterns and morphometrics. This work contributes an estimation of F. jenkinsi spawning frequency and an early development diagnostic key that allows for accurate identification of young fundulid species.
","abstract_html":"<p><em>Fundulus</em> <em>jenkinsi</em> is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of <em>F. jenkinsi</em> and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female <em>F</em>. <em>jenkinsi</em> were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of coastal <em>Fundulus</em> spp. and <em>Adinia</em> <em>xenica</em> have been illustrated and their morphometrics and meristics recorded. While GSI indicated a <em>F. jenkinsi</em> spawning season from April through August, the ovarian histology suggested March through August was a more accurate season. The composition of the ovaries also suggested spawns occur multiple times in a single tidal cycle within a population and on the individual level. The diagnostic key reveals that branchiostegal rays are essential to separate young fundulids into two groups that can then be identified by pigment patterns and morphometrics. This work contributes an estimation of <em>F. jenkinsi</em> spawning frequency and an early development diagnostic key that allows for accurate identification of young fundulid species.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lang, Eric Thomas"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":"Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Mark Peterson","Nancy Brown-Peterson","Bruce Comyns"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:41Z","subjects":["Fundulus jenkinsi","Mississippi","coastal killfish","F. jenkinsi","Aquaculture and Fisheries","Biology","Marine Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/253","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Mark Peterson","Nancy Brown-Peterson","Bruce Comyns"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lang, Eric Thomas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-08-25T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Fundulus jenkinsi","Mississippi","coastal killfish","F. jenkinsi","Aquaculture and Fisheries","Biology","Marine Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/253"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Fundulus jenkinsi is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of F. jenkinsi and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female F. jenkinsi were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of coastal Fundulus spp. and Adinia xenica have been illustrated and their morphometrics and meristics recorded. While GSI indicated a F. jenkinsi spawning season from April through August, the ovarian histology suggested March through August was a more accurate season. The composition of the ovaries also suggested spawns occur multiple times in a single tidal cycle within a population and on the individual level. The diagnostic key reveals that branchiostegal rays are essential to separate young fundulids into two groups that can then be identified by pigment patterns and morphometrics. This work contributes an estimation of F. jenkinsi spawning frequency and an early development diagnostic key that allows for accurate identification of young fundulid species.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Reproductive Life History of Fundulus jenkensi and Comparative Development of Five Sympatric Fundulid Species"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Mark Peterson","Nancy Brown-Peterson","Bruce Comyns"],"dc:creator":["Lang, Eric Thomas"],"dc:date.available":["2016-08-25T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Fundulus jenkinsi is recognized federally and within the state of Mississippi as a Species of Concern. Little is known about the life history of this coastal killifish, but a detailed reproductive histology study of F. jenkinsi and a diagnostic key of the early life stages of select members of Fundulidae can provide the foundation needed to accurately identify it and quantify reproductive parameters in this rare species in need of conservation. Monthly gonadosomatic index (GSI) of male and female F. jenkinsi were documented, and spawning phases and oocyte stages were examined using reproductive histology. In addition, various stages of coastal Fundulus spp. and Adinia xenica have been illustrated and their morphometrics and meristics recorded. While GSI indicated a F. jenkinsi spawning season from April through August, the ovarian histology suggested March through August was a more accurate season. The composition of the ovaries also suggested spawns occur multiple times in a single tidal cycle within a population and on the individual level. The diagnostic key reveals that branchiostegal rays are essential to separate young fundulids into two groups that can then be identified by pigment patterns and morphometrics. This work contributes an estimation of F. jenkinsi spawning frequency and an early development diagnostic key that allows for accurate identification of young fundulid species.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/253"],"dc:subject":["Fundulus jenkinsi","Mississippi","coastal killfish","F. jenkinsi","Aquaculture and Fisheries","Biology","Marine Biology"],"dc:title":["Reproductive Life History of Fundulus jenkensi and Comparative Development of Five Sympatric Fundulid Species"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Coastal Sciences, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:41Z"}