Garcia-Diaz et aL; Spawning season, maturity sizes, and fecundity of Serranus alncoudo 



163 



Q 

 CO 



If) 



a 

 w 



Jan Mar May Jul Sep No/ 



Feb Apr Jun Ago Oct Dec 



Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov 



Feb Apr Jun Ago Oct Dec 



Q 



CO 



I 



Q 

 if) 



CM 



+ 



O 

 Q 



Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov 

 Feb Apr Jun Ago Oct Dec 



Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov 

 Feb Apr Jun Ago Oct Dec 



Figure 3 



Monthly variation of the mean and standard deviation (SD) of the gonadosomatic index iGSI) 

 (Al, hepatosomatic index (HIS) (B), and condition factor (kn) (C) and oocyte diameter ( DOi 

 iDl in the blacktail comber ^Sei-ranus atricaudat from the Canarv Islands. 



Regression analysis showed significant positive correla- 

 tion between annual fecundity and total length, total 

 weight, and gutted weight. Total weight was the best 

 predictor of annual fecundity (PAF£; = 1, 053, 504. 23x1.0 

 0^"'; r- = 0.764, P<0.01, «=28); followed by total length 

 CPAF£=63.648x4351xl380TL;r2=0.752,P<0.01, ;!=28l; 

 and gutted weight (PAP£=l,055,580x 1.00<''^; r'=0.723, 

 P<0.01, n=28) (Fig. 6, A-C). 



Discussion 



The histological description of gonad structure is 

 fundamental to understanding reproduction. In most 

 reproductive fish studies the histological technique is 

 omitted because it is too expensive and time-consuming. 

 Consequently, in many cases knowledge of reproduc- 

 tion is limited or biased (or is both) (Garcia-Diaz et 

 al., 2001). 



The spawning period in teleosts is determined from 

 changes occurring within the gonad throughout the 

 year. The macroscopic or histological observations of the 



