Spawning pattern of the neon flying squid Ommastrephes bartramii (Cephalopoda: Oegopsida) around the Hawaiian Islands
Dharmamony Vijai, Mitsuo Sakai, Yoshihiko Kamei, Yasunori Sakurai

The neon flying squid, Ommastrephes bartramii, is an oceanic squid species that is widely distributed in the North Pacific, with the winter-spring cohort spawning around the Hawaiian Islands. Here, we investigated the spawning characteristics of O. bartramii by analyzing various reproductive parameters of individuals (622 males, 108 females) collected in this region. Female spawning status was determined from the somatic indices and histological characteristics of the ovaries. At all developmental stages, the ovaries of spawned females contained oocytes, and oviduct fullness was not correlated with body size. Thus, because the eggs mature asynchronously, with multiple filling and evacuation events, this species is considered an intermittent spawner. Mature males with developed accessory glands were also present within the distribution range of healthy spawned females, indicating that mating occurs between spawning events. Our data indicate that the first spawning event occurs at a mantle length of ~520-540 mm for Hawaiian O. bartramii. Subsequently, the squid forage and grow, and refill the oviducts, before the second spawning event occurs.

Keywords: North Pacific; squid; Ommastrephes bartramii; reproductive strategy; spawning pattern.
Contents of this volume Sci. Mar. 78(4) : 511-519 Back PDF
 
 
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