FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 85, NO. 2 



nor does it provide information about the range of 

 oocyte sizes to be found in individuals. To better 

 understand the pattern of oocyte development lead- 

 ing to the formation of a clutch of mature eggs, it 

 is necessary to examine comprehensive oocyte size- 

 frequency profiles. Representative profiles of Figure 

 6 illustrate both the pattern of oocyte development 



during ovarian recrudescence in the striped mullet 

 and an ovarian staging system based upon these 

 profiles. 



In ovarian stage I (previtellogenesis), yolk accu- 

 mulation by developing oocytes has not yet begun, 

 as all oocytes are less than the minimum previtello- 

 genic size of 0.18 mm in diameter. An oocyte size- 



Entry into 

 Vitellogenesis 



Minimunn 

 Prennaturation Size 



Figure 6.— Representative oocyte size-frequency 

 profiles corresponding to stages of ovarian recru- 

 descence in Mugil rephalus. Dashed line on left 

 represents the transition between previtellogenic 

 and vitellogenic oocytes; dashed line on the right 

 delineates the minimum prematuration oocyte size. 

 See text for explanation of stages. 



I I ' I ' I I ' ' ' I I ' ' ' I I ' ' ' I I ' ' ' 

 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 



OOCYTE DIAMETER (mm) 



194 



