TY - JOUR
T1 - Reproductive strategy of the Pacific cownose ray Rhinoptera steindachneri in the southern Gulf of California
AU - Burgos-Vázquez, María I.
AU - Chávez-García, Valeria E.
AU - Cruz-Escalona, Víctor H.
AU - Navia, Andrés F.
AU - Mejía-Falla, Paola A.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 CSIRO.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Rhinoptera steindachneri is one of the most common batoid species in the artisanal gill net fishery of the Gulf of California. In this study we investigated its reproductive biology based on 317 specimens caught in Bahía de la Paz, Mexico. Females measured up to 94.2-cm disc width (DW) and males reached 82.5 cm DW; there were no significant differences in size or weight between sexes. The median size at maturity was estimated at 68.5 cm DW for males and 71.8 cm DW for females, and the median size at pregnancy was 84.3 cm DW. Only the left ovary and uterus were functional; a maximum of six preovulatory vitellogenic follicles per female was recorded, although uterine fecundity was one embryo per female. Ovulation and birth occurred in May, June and July, with birth sizes ranging from 38.1 to 42 cm DW. R. steindachneri in Bahía de la Paz exhibited low fecundity, large size at maturity and birth and a continuous and synchronous annual reproductive cycle.
AB - Rhinoptera steindachneri is one of the most common batoid species in the artisanal gill net fishery of the Gulf of California. In this study we investigated its reproductive biology based on 317 specimens caught in Bahía de la Paz, Mexico. Females measured up to 94.2-cm disc width (DW) and males reached 82.5 cm DW; there were no significant differences in size or weight between sexes. The median size at maturity was estimated at 68.5 cm DW for males and 71.8 cm DW for females, and the median size at pregnancy was 84.3 cm DW. Only the left ovary and uterus were functional; a maximum of six preovulatory vitellogenic follicles per female was recorded, although uterine fecundity was one embryo per female. Ovulation and birth occurred in May, June and July, with birth sizes ranging from 38.1 to 42 cm DW. R. steindachneri in Bahía de la Paz exhibited low fecundity, large size at maturity and birth and a continuous and synchronous annual reproductive cycle.
KW - Myliobatiformes
KW - batoids
KW - birth size
KW - fecundity
KW - life history
KW - size at maturity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055494434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/MF18096
DO - 10.1071/MF18096
M3 - Artículo
SN - 1323-1650
VL - 70
SP - 93
EP - 106
JO - Marine and Freshwater Research
JF - Marine and Freshwater Research
IS - 1
ER -