Reproductive Biology of Gerres oyena (Pisces: Gerreidae) Along the Bagamoyo Coast, Tanzania
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Date
2008
Journal Title
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Abstract
The reproductive biology of Gerres oyena (Forskal, 1775) (Gerreidae) along the
Bagamoyo coast was studied from January to December 1999 using samples from monthly
commercial catches. Size at first maturity was 12.8 and 13.9 cm TL for males and females
respectively. The sex ratio was found to be 0.98:1 (m:f) and was not significantly different from
1:1. G. oyena spawns throughout the year with two peaks: one in March and the other between
October and December, which coincide with the northeast monsoon. Ova-diameter frequency
distributions indicated that G. oyena is a multiple spawner. They may spawn in three successive
batches within the same prolonged spawning season. On an average, the numbers of mature ova
produced were 148,138 per fish. For management purposes, a focus should be on the size of
maturation relative to length-body depth or capture size. This would reduce harvesting of prereproductive
individuals.
Description
Keywords
Fecundity, Gerres oyena, Gerreidae, Spawning
Citation
Lamtane, H.A., Pratap, H.B. and Ndaro, S.M.G., 2008. Reproductive Biology of Gerres Oyena (Pisces: Gerreidae) Along the Bagamoyo Coast, Tanzania. Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, 6(1).