ROSS and MERRINER: REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF BLUELINE TILEFISH 





*j%i&& 



FIGURE 9.— Cross section of Well-Developed ovary from a 515 mm TL female Caulolatilus microps (2 1 April 1977) with 

 lamellae composed of residual stock previtellogenic oocytes (II). early vitellogenic oocytes (III), and late vitellogenic 

 oocytes (IV) (Haematoxylin and eosin X 63). 



In Fecundity = 8.830 + 0.00986 Total length 



r 2 = 0.74, and 

 In Fecundity =0.016 + 1.832 In Weight 



r 2 = 0.78. 



Fecundity for 14 Ripe females captured in July 

 basically agreed with the above fecundity relation- 

 ship; the estimates ranged from 196,000 (436 mm 

 TL) to 4,107,035 ova (736 mm TL). The estimated 

 fecundity of 12 Well-Developed and Ripe females 

 from September decreased approximately one-third 

 to one-half. The production of vitellogenic ova ap- 

 pears greater during the late spring-early summer 

 spawning peak than the early fall peak. However, in- 

 sufficient data on the frequency of spawnings by in- 

 dividuals within age/size groups and the number of 

 eggs released preclude further refinement of in- 

 dividual annual fecundity estimates. 



FIGURE 10.— Fecundity- weight relationship for Cm/ lulatilux microps 

 collected in April to June. Fecundity estimates are plotted for fish 

 captured in July (South Carolina) and September (North 

 Carolina). 



O 



x 



>- 



3 

 O 

 Ui 



45 -i 



40- 



35- 



30- 



25 



20- 



15 



10- 



5- 



In Fecundity 



r 2 = 0.78 

 n = 13 



= 0.016 + 1.832 ( In Weight ) 







0-| 1 \ 1 r— —I 



1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 



TOTAL WEIGHT (g ) 



561 



