Volume 55

Nuevos Datos sobre el Patrón de Fecundidad del Mero Colorado, Epinephelus guttatus (Linnaeus, 1758)


Authors
Falfán-Vázquez, E.; Brulé, T.; Colás-Marrufo, T.E.; Tuz-Sulub, A.
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Date: 2004


Pages: 821-830


Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Fifth Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute


City: Xel Ha


Country: Mexico

Abstract

The red hind, Epinephelus guttatus, is one of the more important commercial species in the Campeche Bank, contributing 33 to 35% of the captures made in Yucatan. In spite of its importance in the landings, little information is available about the reproductive biology of this serranid. The present study analyzes patterns of fecundity of E. guttatus, using organisms obtained from commercial captures made in two probable areas of reproductive aggregations (Arrecife Alacranes y Bajos del Norte), in December of 1999 and February of 2000 and 2001. On board of fishing boats a preselection of 72 females was made to analyze with base to the macrocospic aspect of the gonads ones (visible oocytes at first). The ovary samples were histologically prepared according to Gilson and Bouin for the control of their state of sexual maturity as well as to make the measmement and count of the oocytes. The totality of the preselected females was sexually active, with oocytes in late secondary vitellogenesis in their ovaries but without the presence of hyaline oocytes or post-ovulatorios follieles. Histograms of frequency of distribution of diameter of the ovocitos were established from these samples and of the conserved whole oocytes in Gilson of ovaries of 12 females (31,510 43 cm in total length). The analysis of the grapbs allowed to identify in the ovaries the presence of two lots of separated oocytes by a hiatus located, in average, between the 142 and 234 µm of diameter. The minimum average diameter calculated for the vitellogenic oocytes was 96µm. These results, obtained so much through the histologic examination as of the analysis of the whole oocytes, confirmed the previous hypothesis on the pattern of fecundity determined of the species.

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