Reproductive biology of the spotted guitarfish Rhinobatos punctifer from the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 41, Volume 28, Issue 1, January and February 2024, Page 1239-1253 PDF (1.02 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2024.340235 | ||||
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| Author | ||||
| Azza El Ganainy et al. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Guitarfishes are an important component of the artisanal elasmobranch fisheries in the Gulf of Suez and are commonly caught as trawl fishery bycatch throughout the Gulf. However, no studies have been undertaken to investigate the life history of the species. To address this lack of critical biological information, the reproductive biology of the spotted guitarfish Rhinobatos punctifer was investigated in the Gulf of Suez. 320 specimens were collected from the trawling fishing gear. Development of claspers, testes, ovaries and uterus width indicated that males and females reach sexual maturity at 87.5 cm total length. R. punctifer is an aplacental viviparous species, with each female having two ovaries and two uteri, both functional. Ripe oocytes in the ovaries, ova, embryos and fully developed fetuses in the uteri are symmetrically distributed. The gestation period could last for a maximum of ten months. Ovarian egg size and male gonadosomatic index both peaked in February and March, indicating that mating occurs in winter. Uterine eggs were present from October through February. Females with full-term embryos were observed from November to February. Ovarian fecundity ranged from 79 to 1898 (mean 19) eggs per fish, whereas uterine fecundity ranged from 2 to 10 (mean 6) embryos per fish. The average size at birth was 19.4 cm TL. The estimated overall sex ratio was 1.2:1 male to female. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Reproduction; spotted guitarfish; Gulf of Suez; Red Sea | ||||
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