DeMartini et al.: Maturity, size, and sex composition o\ Xiphias gladius 



495 



Figure 3 



Histological sections of the ovaries of imminently spawning swordfish {Xiphias gladiiis) illustrat- 

 mg (Al hydrated oocytes (hyd; stage 5i and (B) postovulatory follicles (pof; stage 6l. Several other 

 developmental stages of oocytes are also present, including primitive oogonia i pog; stage 1 1; previtel- 

 logenic oocytes (poc; stage 2); early vitellogenic levo: stage 3) and vitellogenic (vo; stage 4) oocytes; 

 and atretic oocytes (atret; stage 7; an a-atretic, vitellogenic oocyte indicated by arrow in 3Al, 



ture, mostly female fish. Reproductively active females 

 (stages 4-6) were caught primarily during spring (F'ig. 6i. 

 Ninety-eight percent of all imminently spawning females 



were caught during March-July periods, and 739c were 

 caught during May^une (Fig. 6). POFs and hydrated 

 oocytes often co-occurred in ovaries (in 25 out of 33 cases; 



