I'm conducting a fun Undergraduate Research Project examining Bergmann's rule in the Southern Red Belly Dace and was wondering if anyone could share some data.

I need samples of 20+ individuals with the following for each individual.

• Location
• Date
• Standard Length
• Total Length

Also if you'd like to share a picture of an average individual of the sample just to see any other morphological differences with latitude it would be appreciated. 

Thanks for your help,

Eddy Wild

Side note: I realize that Bergmann's Rule in ectotherms is looked at with a great deal of controversy and I am strictly doing this project to provide data that will support or reject previous studies.

I have samples from Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, but need samples further North.

You need to better explain intent and who you are.  You are asking for a lot.

Just an amateur and cursory observation. Seems like they are largest mid-range. It sounds like an interesting project. You might get more participation if you send willing individuals the tools they need to sample a population. Somehow provide them with container's and preservative. If I were into doing this right now, I would prefer to send you a sampling of SRBD and allow you to measure them and gather relevant data from the sample.

Thank you for the post! I originally thought the same as I thought optimal conditions would be towards the middle of the range and the largest fish would be there. This is what intrigued me most about the research by Rypel in the link below a nd is a big reason to why I am conducting this research. (Especially the relationship between the thermal classification and Bergmanns rule or Converse Bergmann's rule.)

In regards to sending containers and preservative, I won't be able to do that as this project isn't funded like most undergraduate research projects. I understand that this is far too much to ask and it was kind of a long shot for more data.

Just an amateur and cursory observation. Seems like they are largest mid-range. It sounds like an interesting project. You might get more participation if you send willing individuals the tools they need to sample a population. Somehow provide them with container's and preservative. If I were into doing this right now, I would prefer to send you a sampling of SRBD and allow you to measure them and gather relevant data from the sample.

I will try to get you in touch with Brian Zimmerman and or Marc Kibbey. Brian is redoing Fishes of Ohio. Marc is assistant curator at the Museum of Biological Diversity, OSU. They work closely together. Brian has built a database linking many museum collections. If you want to try yourself today, Marc and Brian are easy to find online.

I had a few minutes, so I sent you a PM with contact info. Good luck. Maybe when you are finished with the paper, you could submit a copy or summary to the editors of American Currents, our quarterly publication. They are often looking for content.

Do you really need the physical specimens, or just the data (SL and TL)?  What else would you measure?  Weight and girth would not be very useful since that varies too much with seasonal and site-specific food availability and spawning. 

Do you really need the physical specimens, or just the data (SL and TL)?  What else would you measure?  Weight and girth would not be very useful since that varies too much with seasonal and site-specific food availability and spawning. 

Thanks for your input. And yes that is all I am asking for is Standard Length and Total Length.

Sorry if I didn't make this clear above. 

I will try to get you in touch with Brian Zimmerman and or Marc Kibbey. Brian is redoing Fishes of Ohio. Marc is assistant curator at the Museum of Biological Diversity, OSU. They work closely together. Brian has built a database linking many museum collections. If you want to try yourself today, Marc and Brian are easy to find online.

 

I had a few minutes, so I sent you a PM with contact info. Good luck. Maybe when you are finished with the paper, you could submit a copy or summary to the editors of American Currents, our quarterly publication. They are often looking for content.

Thank you so much for your help! I will contact Brian and Marc very soon. 

I'm definitely interested in submitting to the American Currents and will look more into it.