Bohlen, J. 2008
Spawning marks in spined loaches (Cobitis taenia): indication of
communication between spawning partners and useful tool to estimate the start
of spawning period on individual level.
Folia Zoologica 57: 168-171.
In Cobitis taenia and, with lower intensity, also in C.
elongatoides and C. melanoleuca, females bear visible spawning marks
on the body sides after spawning events. These marks intensify during the
spawning season but disappear a few weeks after last spawning. The precise
origin of the spawning marks is not clear, but they seem to be produced by the
male during embracement of the female. Spawning marks were not observed after
spawning events of C. bilineata, C. fahirae, C. rara, C. paludica, C.
strumicae and C. turcica. An example dataset from Haaren creek in
northwestern Germany is given to demonstrate that these marks can be used as a
tool to precisely estimate the start of reproductive season for Cobitis
populations even for different size classes separately.