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Reproductive characteristics of Ratabulus diversidens and Ambiserrula jugosa (Pisces: Platycephalidae) from continental shelf waters of south-eastern Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2021

Lachlan M. Barnes Open the ORCID record for Lachlan M. Barnes [Opens in a new window] ,
Charles A. Gray Open the ORCID record for Charles A. Gray [Opens in a new window]  and
Jane E. Williamson Open the ORCID record for Jane E. Williamson [Opens in a new window]
Lachlan M. Barnes
Affiliation:
Marine Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2109, NSW, Australia
Charles A. Gray*
Affiliation:
WildFish Research, Grays Point, 2232, NSW, Australia
Jane E. Williamson
Affiliation:
Marine Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, 2109, NSW, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Charles A. Gray, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The reproductive characteristics of co-occurring freespine flathead, Ratabulus diversidens, and mud flathead, Ambiserrula jugosa, that interact with fisheries across continental shelf waters of eastern Australia were examined. Samples were collected across three depth strata and two locations on a monthly basis over two years. Males of both species matured younger and at smaller total lengths (TL) than females. Estimated TL and age (years) at maturity (L50 and A50, respectively) of R. diversidens also varied between locations, but differences were not related to differential growth. Although some mature individuals of both species occurred year-round, they were most prevalent and gonadosomatic indices greatest, between the austral spring and autumn. Mature R. diversidens almost exclusively occurred in deeper offshore waters, whereas the opposite was evident for A. jugosa. Both species displayed asynchronous oocyte development, and were thus considered capable of spawning more than once throughout each spawning season. Potential batch fecundity was positively related to TL for R. diversidens, but not A. jugosa, possibly due to the small size of the latter species. The sex ratios for R. diversidens varied between locations and length categories, and like A. jugosa the larger categories were skewed towards females, a result of divergent growth between sexes. Macroscopic and microscopic evidence indicated both species were gonochoristic. The data provide new information for fisheries management consideration and contribute to the data-poor international knowledge base of platycephalid biology.

Keywords

Fisheries managementflatheadlife historymaturitysexual dimorphismspawning
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 4 , June 2021 , pp. 725 - 734
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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