Reproductive biology and embryonic development of <i>Squalus blainvillei</i> in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Vasiliki Kousteni; Persefoni Megalofonou

doi:10.3989/scimar.2011.75n2237

Authors

Vasiliki Kousteni Department of Biology, Section of Zoology-Marine Biology, University of Athens
Persefoni Megalofonou Department of Biology, Section of Zoology-Marine Biology, University of Athens

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.2011.75n2237

Keywords:

Squalus blainvillei, maturity, fecundity, embryonic development

Abstract

A total number of 526 Squalus blainvillei was sampled from the bottom trawl and bottom longline catches in the eastern Mediterranean Sea from December 2004 to December 2009. Females outnumbered males and the overall sex ratio was 1.26:1. Females ranged from 182 to 779 mm in total length and males from 180 to 799 mm. Both females and males showed allometric growth (b > 3) and we found statistically significant differences in the relationship between length and weight. Out of the specimens examined, 36% of females and 63% of males were sexually mature. Males reached sexual maturity at smaller sizes than females. The smallest sexually mature female was 523 mm in total length, while the smallest sexually mature male was 425 mm in total length. Mean length at 50% maturity was estimated at 564.4 mm for females and 457.7 mm for males. Sexually mature specimens of both sexes with mature gonads and high GSI were present in high proportions in every season of the year, which indicates a continuous reproductive cycle. Ovarian oocytes continued to develop throughout gestation. Females carrying near-term embryos had large, equally developed ovarian oocytes, which suggests that they ovulate soon after parturition. Ovarian fecundity ranged from 1 to 7 and uterine fecundity ranged from 1 to 6. Embryo length and yolk sac weight were negatively correlated.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Avsar, D. – 2001. Age, growth, reproduction and feeding of the spurdog (Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758) in the south-eastern Black Sea. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 52: 269-278. doi:10.1006/ecss.2000.0749

Bañón, R., C. Piñero and M. Casas. – 2006. Biological aspects of deep-water sharks Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus in Galician waters (north-western Spain). J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 86: 843-846. doi:10.1017/S0025315406013774

Capapé, C. – 1985. Nouvelle description de Centrophorus granulosus (Schneider, 1801) (Pisces, Squalidae). Données sur la biologie de la reproduction et le régime alimentaire des spécimens des côtes tunisiennes. Bull. Inst. Natl. Sci. Tech. Oceanogr., 12: 97-141.

Cannizaro, L., P. Rizzo, D. Levi and S. Gancitano. – 1995. Age determination and growth of Squalus blainvillei (Risso, 1826). Fish. Res., 23: 113-125. doi:10.1016/0165-7836(94)00333-R

Chatzispyrou, A. and P. Megalofonou. – 2005. Sexual maturity, fecundity and embryonic development of the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 85: 1155-1161. doi:10.1017/S0025315405012233

Clarke, M.W., P.L. Connolly and J.J. Bracken. – 2001. Aspects of reproduction of the deep water sharks Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus from west of Ireland and Scotland. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 81: 1019-1029. doi:10.1017/S0025315401005008

Compagno, L.J.V. – 1984. FAO species catalogue. Vol. 4. Sharks of the world: an annotated and illustrated catalogue of shark species known to date. Part I. Hexanchiformes to Lamniformes. FAO Fisheries Synopsis (125), 4, part 1.

Compagno, L.J.V., M. Dando and S. Fowler. – 2005. Sharks of the World. Collins, London.

Dulvy, N.K., J.K. Baum, S. Clarke, L.J.V. Compagno, E. Cortés, A. Domingo, S. Fordham, S. Fowler, M.P. Francis, C. Gibson, J. Martínez, J.A. Musick, A. Soldo, J.D. Stevens and S. Valenti. – 2008. You can swim but you can’t hide: The global status and conservation of oceanic pelagic sharks and rays. Aquat. Conserv., 18(5): 459-482. doi:10.1002/aqc.975

Ebert, D.A., P.D. Coweley and L.J.V. Compagno. – 2002. First records of the longnose spiny dogfish Squalus blainvillei (Squalidae) and the deep-water stingray Plesiobatis daviesi (Urolophidae) from South African waters. S. Afr. J. Mar. Sci., 24: 355-357. doi:10.2989/025776102784528538

Girard, M. and M. Du Buit. – 1999. Reproductive biology of two deep water sharks from the British Isles, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus, (Chondrichthyes: Squalidae). J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 79: 923-931. doi:10.1017/S002531549800109X

Guallart, J. and J.J. Vicent. – 2001. Changes in composition during embryo development of the gulper shark Centrophorus granulosus (Elasmobranchii, Centrophoridae): an assessment of maternal-embryonic nutritional relationship. Envir. Biol. Fish., 61: 135-150. doi:10.1023/A:1011080429625

Hamlett, W. and T.J. Koob. – 1999. Female reproductive system In: Hamlett, W.C. (eds), Sharks, skates and rays. The biology of elasmobranch fishes, pp. 398-443, Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

Jones, T.S. and K.I. Ugland. – 2001. Reproduction of female spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, in the Oslofjord. Fish. Bull., 99: 685-690.

Jones, A.A., W.T. White and I.C. Potter. – 2005. An hermaphrodit Port Jackson shark, Heterodontus portusjacksoni, with complete and separate female and male reproductive tracts. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K., 85: 1171-1172. doi:10.1017/S0025315405012269

Kabasakal, H. – 2002. Stomach contents of the longnose spurdog Squalus blainvillei (Risso, 1826) from the North-Eastern Aegean Sea. Annales (Annals for Istran and Mediterranean Studies), Series historia naturalis, 12(2): 161-166.

King, M. – 1995. Fisheries Biology, Assessment and Management. Fishing New Books, London.

Koob, T.J. and I.P. Callard. – 1999. Reproductive endocrinology of female elasmobranchs: lessons from the little skate (Raja erinacea) and spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). J. Exp. Zool., 284: 557-574. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-010X(19991001)284:5<557::AID-JEZ12>3.0.CO;2-P

Ledoux, J.C. – 1970. Affiniteés et origins du Squaus blainvillei de Mediterranée. J. Ichthyol., CIESM: 65-69.

Massutí, E. and J. Moranta. – 2003. Demersal assemblages and depth distribution of elasmobranchs from the continental shelf and slope off the Balearic Islands (western Mediterranean). ICES J. Mar. Sc., 60(4): 753-766. doi:10.1016/S1054-3139(03)00089-4

Megalofonou, P. and A. Chatzispyrou. – 2006. Sexual maturity and feeding of the gulper shark, Centrophorus granulosus, from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Cybium, 30(4): 67-74.

Ranzi, S. – 1932. Le Basi Fisio-morfologiche dello Sviluppo Embrionale dei Selaci, Parte I. Pubblicazione Stazione Zoologica, Naples.

Quignard, J.P. – 1971. Recherches sur la biologie de Squalus blainvillei(Risso, 1826). Trav. Lab. Biol. Halietique Univ. Rennes, 5: 125-l 41.

Serena, F. – 2005. Field identification guide to the sharks and rays of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Rome, 97 pp.

Sion, L., G. D’Onghia, A. Matarrese and C. Mytilineou. – 2003. First data on distribution and biology of Squalus blainvillei (Risso, 1826) from the eastern Mediterranean Sea. J. Northwest Atl. Fish. Sc., 31: 210-219.

Spare, P. and S.C. Venema. – 1992. Introduction to tropical fish stock assessment. Part I. Manual. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper, 306, FAO, Rome.

Stehmann, M. – 1987. Quick and dirty tabulation of stomach contents and maturity stages for skates (Rajidae) squaloid and other ovoviviparous and viviparous species of sharks. Amer. Elasm. Soc. Newsl., 3: 5-9.

Tortonese, E. – 1956. Fauna d’ltalia. Vol. 2. Edizioni Calderini, Bologna, Italy, pp. 173-176.

Wourms, J.P. – 1977. Reproduction and development in Chondrichthyan fishes. Amer. Zoo., 17: 379-410.

Yano, K. – 1995. Squalidae. In: O. Okamura, K. Amaoka, M. Takeda, K. Yano, K. Okada and S. Chikuni (eds.), Fishes collected by the R/V Shinkai Maru around Greenland., 52p., Japan Marine Fishery Resources Research Center.

Zar, J.H. – 1996. Biostatistical analysis. Third edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Slade River, New Jersey, USA.