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California Fish Website Species
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Hitch, Lavinia exilicauda
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Appearance
and Identification:
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Deep, laterally compressed body, may exceed 35 cm SL
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Large scales, small head, upturned mouth
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Narrow caudal peduncle, large anal fin, large forked tail, keel
absent
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Brownish yellow back, no spot, progressively darker with age
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Juveniles: silvery, possess spot
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Fin Rays: anal 11-14, dorsal 10-13
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Lateral line scales: 54-62 (decurved)
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Life History:
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Hitch are most often found in slow warm water, including
lakes and quiet stretches of rivers Hitch are sometimes found in cool and clear,
low-gradient streams, hiding among aquatic vegetation in sandy runs or
pools. They are the most heat
tolerant of the native Central Valley fishes and can withstand water
temperatures greater than 30°C under some conditions. They have also been found living in
brackish water with a salinities as high as 9 ppt. Within a pristine system hitch often
share habitat with Sacramento blackfish, Sacramento suckers, and Sacramento
pikeminnows.
In altered systems hitch are found among introduced species like mosquitofish, catfish and centrarchids. In a stream these fish may use their
upturned mouth to feed in the water column or to feed on the surface for
insects. In a lake hitch may occupy
different spaces depending upon age.
Juveniles typically live in shallow vegetated areas near shore,
while the older fish (>80 days) live in deeper offshore waters. Young hitch may shoal for the first two
months of residency in a lake. The diet of a limnetic
hitch may include zooplankton, crustaceans, or various forms of
insects. Growth rates in hitch vary
depending upon the environmental conditions; though in general females
reach sexual maturity in 2-3 years, while males may reach sexual maturity
in years 1-3. Spawning typically
happens in the tributaries to lakes and rivers, and may begin as early as
February and end as late as July.
Fecundity in hitch is relatively high as one female may produce
3,000 to 63,000 eggs, depending upon body size. When spawning adults reach a suitable
riffle for breeding one female may be surrounded by 1-5 males. A ripe female releases her eggs into the
current and the males immediately fertilize the eggs. The eggs then settle into the gravel
substrate where the size of the ova will increase and help lodge it into
the rock particles. In 3-7 days the
embryos hatch, and 3-4 days after the hatch the embryos begin to swim
freely. The young hitch may swim
downstream to a lake or slough, or reside within the stream under the cover
of aquatic plants. Hitch generally
live for a total of 4-6 years.
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Links to Other Research
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Here's a list of California watersheds where Hitch
may be found.
© 2003 - Regents of the University of California
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Communication Services
E-Mail Web Master
ANR Non-Discrimination
Statement
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