PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY OF A TRANSPLANTED POPULATION OF DWARF CISCO, COREGONUS-ARTEDII

A population of dwarf cisco in Minnesota was studied in native and transplant environments. Life history characters were recorded and the stability of meristics and morphometrics of the population over a two year period in three different environments was assessed with univariate and multivariate statistics. Transplanted cisco lived longer and grew larger than they did in their native lake, yet retained distinctive pigmentation patterns and an unusually early spawning season. Meristic characters of dwarf fish remained within ranges reported for Coregonus artedii during the lifetimes of individuals in their new environments, but morphometric measures underwent significant size- and shape-related changes. Incubation and rearing studies show egg incubation time and behavior of larvae were identical of those of non-dwarf cisco. Comparisons with non-dwarf cisco populations illustrate the ecophenotypic plasticity of adult fish of this population of North American cisco.