LEWIS and YERGER: BIOLOGY OF FIVE SEAROBINS 



nally, transferred to 40*^ isopropyl alcohol and 

 deposited in the Florida State University 

 collection. 



Gonads were examined from specimens taken 

 in October, November, and December 1970, and 

 January, February, April, May, July, August, 

 September, and October 1971. Size at sexual 

 maturity was determined by the first appearance 

 of ripe or developing ova in females and enlarged 

 testes in males. Females with numerous ripe ova 

 were judged to be ready to spawn at or very near 

 the date of capture. A ripe egg was determined to 

 be one that was transparent and filled with 

 numerous oil globules. Its size was measured to 

 the nearest 0.1 mm with an ocular micrometer. 



Stomachs (including the posterior esophagus) 



were removed and the contents analyzed for 

 identifiable remains. Food items were identified 

 at least to class, and where possible to order and 

 suborder. The importance of food taxa was judged 

 by their numerical abundance. 



RESULTS 



Bellator militaris (Goode and Bean) 

 Horned Searobin 



Bellator militaris was collected widely at 

 depths of approximately 20 to 100 m (Figure 2a) 

 and temperatures of 15° to 28°C. Specimens 

 ranged in size from 24 to 111 mm SL. This species 

 showed the greatest density of all the species 



FIGURE 2.— Distribution within the 

 study area of: A, Bellator militaris 

 and B, Prionotus alatus. 



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