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Reproductive biology of the planehead filefish Stephanolepis hispidus (Pisces: Monacanthidae), in the Canary Islands area

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Abstract

The reproductive biology of the planehead filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus, in the waters of the Canary Islands area was studied. The study was conducted with a sample of 906 specimens from 8.9 to 25.9 cm in total length (TL) that were caught in fish traps from February 1998 to August 1999. Females predominated in the catches, and the sex ratio of 1.0:1.4 significantly deviated from the theoretical 1:1 distribution. This ratio varied when calculated by the length classes and by the season. Based on the monthly evolution of the Gonadosomatic Index (GSI) and the proportion of mature individuals, the spawning season occurred between May and October, with a peak in July and August for both sexes. This species accumulates energy reserves in the liver to be spent during the maturation of the gonads and spawning. The mean size at sexual maturity (L50) was 13.9 cm TL in females and 14.9 cm TL in males. The fecundity of S. hispidus fluctuated between 14,071 and 91,323 (mean = 55,239 ± 19,079), and the relative fecundity oscillated between 460 and 1,238 oocytes/g of eviscerated weight (mean = 904 ± 206). The diameter of the oocytes was 0.47 mm (SD = 0.10). The described reproductive characteristics provide options to fishery managers including regulations for spatial and temporal fishing closures to protect the breeding fish during spawning and the selectivity of fishing gears. Thus, it is proposed that fishing be limited to water depths greater than 30 m and that the minimum legal length of fish be established at 18 cm TL.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Laia Torres and Yeray Pérez for their assistance in data collection. This study has been partially supported by the Secretariat for Fishing of the Autonomous Government of the Canary Islands. Néstor Javier Mancera-Rodríguez is grateful for the scholarships awarded by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation (AECI) between 1997 and 2000 and by the Carolina Foundation (Spain) and the National University of Colombia for a postdoctoral research position in 2013. We appreciate the support of the Curricular Area in Forest and Environmental Conservation Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, the National University of Colombia, for its support in correcting the style and English text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forestry Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Calle 59A No. 63-20, Bloque 20, oficina 211, Medellín, Colombia

    Néstor Javier Mancera-Rodríguez

  2. Department of Biology, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Edf. Ciencias Básicas, Campus de Tafira, 35017, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

    José Juan Castro-Hernández

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  1. Néstor Javier Mancera-Rodríguez
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Correspondence to Néstor Javier Mancera-Rodríguez.

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Mancera-Rodríguez, N.J., Castro-Hernández, J.J. Reproductive biology of the planehead filefish Stephanolepis hispidus (Pisces: Monacanthidae), in the Canary Islands area. Ichthyol Res 62, 258–267 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-014-0435-6

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