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Ovarian maturation and spawning season of Por’s goatfish Upeneus pori (Mullidae) from Mediterranean Sea, Egypt

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Abstract

The body length of Por’s goatfish (Upeneus pori) at 50% sexual maturity is estimated and the results indicate that L50 is 10.6 cm. Monthly variations of the gonadosomatic index indicate that the spawning occurs mainly in May. Mean hepatosomatic index significantly increases from February to May, peaking in March (2%) and April (1.91%) during vitellogenesis and spawning. Mean condition factor values vary slightly from 0.98% in December to 1.17% in November. Based on histological investigation of female’s oocyte development, five maturity stages are demonstrated. Ovarian maturity is defined by the maturation stage of the most advanced oocytes, and it is divided into four phases. By using the monthly changes in the percentage frequency of ovarian phases, the ovarian cycle of U. pori is divided into three periods: a long period of early oogenesis (November to February), a short period of vitellogenesis (February to April) and a spawning period from April through June with peak activity in May.

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  1. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Suez, 43511, Egypt

    A. M. Ramadan & M. M. El-Halfawy

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  1. A. M. Ramadan
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  2. M. M. El-Halfawy
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Ramadan, A.M., El-Halfawy, M.M. Ovarian maturation and spawning season of Por’s goatfish Upeneus pori (Mullidae) from Mediterranean Sea, Egypt. J. Ichthyol. 54, 905–912 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0032945214100154

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