Comparison of reproductive traits of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus among sea areas around Japan

Mika Suhara, Yasuo Mori, Yukio Mihara, Masayuki Yamamoto, Atsushi Kawabata, Motomitsu Takahashi, Yuu Katsukawa, Satoshi Katayama, Yoh Yamashita, Tomohiko Kawamura, Yoshiro Watanabe

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    5 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Reproductive traits of Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus were compared among the subtropical, subarctic, and inland sea areas around Japan. Adult anchovy in the subarctic areas were large in body size (standard length SL>120 mm, body weight BW>20 g) and had gonad-somatic index (GSI=GW×102/BW) greater than 7.0. Their total (per female) and specific (per 1 g BW) fecundity, estimated by the number of advanced oocytes in the ovary, were 18000 and 700, respectively. Their spawning activity was detected in June and July. In the subtropical sea areas, on the other hand, adults with advanced oocytes occurred all year round except for December and January. Their body and gonad sizes were large in spring (SL>120 mm, BW>20 g, GSI>5.0) with high total (>4500) and specific (>300) fecundities, but decreased in summer and autumn to as small as SL<60 mm and total and specific fecundity of 50 and 30, respectively. These diverse biological traits suggested that the reproductive ecology of anchovy is adaptive to local sea areas around Japan.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)813-822
    Number of pages10
    JournalNippon Suisan Gakkaishi (Japanese Edition)
    Volume79
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2013

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Aquatic Science

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