Naslov
Notes on reproductive behaviour of blotched picarel Spicara maena L. (Pisces: Centracanthidae)

Autori
Stagličić. Nika ; Žuljević, Ante ; Matić-Skoko, Sanja

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
14th European Congress of Ichthyology: Program and Abstracts / Ovidio, Michael ; Roussel, Jean-Marc - Liege : University of Liege, 2012, 213-213

Skup
14th European Congress of Ichthyology

Mjesto i datum
Liège, Belgija, 03.07.2012. - 08.07.2012

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
reproduction; spawning; Spicara maena

Sažetak
The blotched picarel, Spicara maena, is a common and abundant fish species througout the Mediterranean and eastern Atlatic region. During the breeding season, it forms large schools over Posidonia oceanica beds. Males establish nests by excavating the sediment and posidonia rhizomes with their mouth, while females deposit adhesive demersal eggs once the nests are prepared. Accounts dealing with S. maena reproductive behaviour are scarce and are lacking in many aspects, especially in any quantitaive description, of their reproductive pattern. This preliminary study reports for the first time, with the quantitative data, on reproductive pattern of S. maena in terms of nest-building – their shape, size and density. S. maena were encountered at a spawning location in a cove on the SE coast of island Susac, S Adriatic, in September 2011. Observations of nests were conducted by SCUBA diving. Density of the nests was quantified along three 20 m long strip transects and for 30 nests measurements of their height, width and depth were taken. On average, the number of nest per 20 m is x±sd = 39.7±4.0. The nests are typically round to oval in shape and quite large (width: x±sd = 47.2±9.1 cm, depth: x±sd = 34.3±10.2 cm, height: x±sd = 34.3±3.6 cm). The excavated material is disloged around the nests which are tightly packed right next to each other all over the observed posidonia meadow. The high density and large dimensions of nests indicate high energy expenditure devoted to preparation for reproduction by males of S. maena. Additional research is required in order to expand our limited knowledge of the biology and ecology of this fish species. Island Susac is an exceptional location for in situ studying of S. maena – the island is rather small and very remote and the distinct population of S. maena inhabiting its surrounding waters has only few suitable coves with posidonia meadows available for reproduction. Thus, here the otherwise virtually impossible task of being in the right place at the right time becomes likely and enables the rare opportunity of studying various aspects of reproductive behaviour of S. maena.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

POVEZANOST RADA