Early Growth and Morphology Among Hybrids of Ictalurid Catfishes

Half-sib ictalurid families were produced when eggs from three channel catfish, "Ictalurus punctatus," females were fertilized with a mixture of sperm from channel catfish, blue catfish, "I. furcatus," black bullhead, "Ameiurus melas," and flathead catfish, "Plyodictis olivaris." Sperm from all four species successfully fertilized channel catfish eggs, although individual families contained different percentages of the various crosses. The enzyme glucose phosphate isomerase distinguished the different hybrids and parental groups, and confirmed sorting of offspring based on morphology. At 1 month of age, channel catfish ♀ X flathead catfish ♂ hybrids (0.36 ± 0.07 g, mean ± SD) were heavier (P ≤ 0.05) than channel catfish ♀ X black bullhead ♂ (0.12 ± 0.03 g), channel catfish ♀ X blue catfish ♂ hybrids (0.11 ± 0.03 g ), and channel catfish (0.10 ± 0.4 g). By 8 months of age, channel catfish ♀ X black bullhead ♂ hybrids (36.4 ± 21.9 g) and channel catfish ♀ X blue catfish ♂ hybrids (34.5 ± 24.2 g) were similar in weight, and each was significantly heavier than channel catfish ♀ X channel catfish ♂ (26.9 ± 16.1 g), while channel catfish ♀ X flathead catfish ♂ (17.0 ౩ 6.8 g) weighed the least. Morphometric ratios of channel catfish ♀ X blue catfish ♂ were intermediate between channel catfish ♀ X channel catfish ♂ and blue catfish for four of 16 features and were similar to either or both of the parental species for 10 others. Ratios for channel catfish ♀ X black bullhead ♂ hybrids were intermediate between channel catfish ♀ X channel catfish ♂ and black bullhead for seven of 16 features. Ratios for channel catfish ♀ X flathead catfish ♂ hybrids were larger than channel catfish ♀ X channel catfish ♀ for eight of 16 features and smaller than channel catfish ♀ X channel catfish ♂ for five of 16 features. All channel catfish ♀ X flathead catfish ♂ hybrid offspring were female, based on examination of the urogenital region or gross appearance of the gonands, while other groups had normal sex ratios. Production of half-sib interspecific hybrid families provides a unique opportunity to evaluate genetic influences on commercially important traits and to evaluate the potential of these ictalurid hybrids in aquaculture.