Paternal predominance in reciprocal channel-blue hybrid catfish

Abstract

The male parent of interspecific crosses between blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, and channel catfish, I. punctatus had controlling influence on several growth patterns. Paternal predominance was considered to exist if the external appearance or if the values for morphometric, meristic, or behavioral traits for one hybrid were statistically different from its reciprocal hybrid and more similar to its male parent than its female parent. Paternal predominance was also considered to exist when a mean for one hybrid was not different from that of its male parent, and a mean for the male parent was statistically different from that of the reciprocal hybrid. The external appearance, swim bladder shape, and anal fin ray number of hybrids were more nearly that of their male parents than their female parents. Paternal predominance was also evident in both growth and morphometric uniformity. Further, susceptibility to capture by seine was influenced more by the male parent than the female parent.