Plasticity in life history traits of the native Proterorhinus semilunaris suggests high adaptive capacity in its invasive range.

Abstract

Invasion risk assessments are reliant on ecological data that assist the predictions of whether an introduced species will adapt to novel conditions. Data from the native range of potential invaders can thus assist these assessments. Here, the growth and reproductive characteristics of the Western tubenose goby Proterorhinus semilunaris, a Ponto-Caspian gobiid, were assessed in three natural lakes in their native range, as there are few extant data on these traits. Across the three lakes, the gobies were found in varying abundances. Sex ratios varied, with females significantly outnumbering males in only one lake, with equal sex ratios in the other lakes. The fish always showed a positive allometric growth, but had high variability in their somatic growth rates and relative body conditions between the lakes. Scale ageing revealed all populations comprised individuals to age four years, with one lake having individuals to 5 years old. Reproductive characteristics, such as size at maturity, gonad-somatic index and fecundity, did not differ significantly between the lakes. These data suggest that plasticity in aspects of their life history traits provides P. semilunaris with considerable adaptive capacity following their introduction into novel conditions.