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Reproductive cycle and sex inversion in razor fish, a protogynous labrid in the southern Mediterranean Sea

Reproductive cycle and sex inversion in razor fish, a protogynous labrid in the southern... The reproductive biology of the Mediterranean razor fish Xyrichthys novacula was investigated by demographic data and histological analysis of the female, intersexual and male gonads. Specimens were collected by bottom trawl on a monthly basis between June 2000 and July 2001 in a sandy bay in southern Thyrrenian. Gonad histology confirmed that the Mediterranean razor fish is a monandric, protogynous hermaphrodite. Females reached first sexual maturity at 100 mm (LT) and the estimated mean LT at first maturity (L50) was 125 mm. Females exhibited asynchronous ovarian development and multiple ovulations occurred over the spawning period. Vitellogenesis started in early May and spawning occurred from late May until late September. Sexual transition involved a large‐scale atresia of all oocyte stages and a massive degeneration of ovarian tissue followed by primordial germ cells proliferation. Sex change began at spawning time (June) but transitional individuals tended to cluster at the end of the reproductive period (September). They accounted for 17·1% of the population sampled and were found in a broad size range (105–150 mm LT). http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Fish Biology Wiley

Reproductive cycle and sex inversion in razor fish, a protogynous labrid in the southern Mediterranean Sea

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References (24)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0022-1112
eISSN
1095-8649
DOI
10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.0404.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The reproductive biology of the Mediterranean razor fish Xyrichthys novacula was investigated by demographic data and histological analysis of the female, intersexual and male gonads. Specimens were collected by bottom trawl on a monthly basis between June 2000 and July 2001 in a sandy bay in southern Thyrrenian. Gonad histology confirmed that the Mediterranean razor fish is a monandric, protogynous hermaphrodite. Females reached first sexual maturity at 100 mm (LT) and the estimated mean LT at first maturity (L50) was 125 mm. Females exhibited asynchronous ovarian development and multiple ovulations occurred over the spawning period. Vitellogenesis started in early May and spawning occurred from late May until late September. Sexual transition involved a large‐scale atresia of all oocyte stages and a massive degeneration of ovarian tissue followed by primordial germ cells proliferation. Sex change began at spawning time (June) but transitional individuals tended to cluster at the end of the reproductive period (September). They accounted for 17·1% of the population sampled and were found in a broad size range (105–150 mm LT).

Journal

Journal of Fish Biology – Wiley

Published: Jun 1, 2004

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