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reproductive biology of the blackmouth catshark, galeus melastomus (chondrichthyes: scyliorhinidae) off the south coast of portugal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2005

m.e. costa ,
k. erzini  and
t.c. borges
m.e. costa
Affiliation:
centro de ciências do mar (ccmar), universidade do algarve (fcma), campus de gambelas, 8000-117, faro, portugal
k. erzini
Affiliation:
centro de ciências do mar (ccmar), universidade do algarve (fcma), campus de gambelas, 8000-117, faro, portugal
t.c. borges
Affiliation:
centro de ciências do mar (ccmar), universidade do algarve (fcma), campus de gambelas, 8000-117, faro, portugal
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Abstract

the reproductive biology of 1045 female (9.5–67 cm (total length (tl)) and 1007 male (9.4–64.3 cm tl) blackmouth catsharks, galeus melastomus, was investigated. the sharks were caught off southern portugal by bottom crustacean trawlers at depths from 209 to 754 m. the sex ratio was 1:1, and this species is sexually dimorphic with males approaching maturity at smaller size than females. sexual segregation appears to be given for the stock within the study area. sexual maturity was reached at a total length above 49 cm in males and above 56 cm in females. mating and egg-deposition take place all year round, with two reproductive peaks of activity, in winter and summer. egg capsules are, on average, 54 mm long and 21 mm wide, with a maximum of 63×25 mm encountered. morphometric measurements of claspers, testes, ovaries, and oviducal glands were suitable for determining sexual maturity of blackmouth catshark.

Type
research article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 85 , Issue 5 , October 2005 , pp. 1173 - 1183
Copyright
© 2005 marine biological association of the united kingdom

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