648 



Fishery Bulletin 94(4). 1996 



80% of hydrated females (n=10) were found between 

 1300-1800 h. In 1992, 70% offish with new POF's 

 (n=25) were collected between 0800-1200 h. Histo- 

 logical examination of 128 females (from April 1992 

 to May 1993 [MARMAP sampling]) revealed that only 

 two fish had hydrated oocytes (HO's) as well as old 

 POF's and that only seven fish had two classes of 

 POF's (new and old). Because new POF's in lutjanids 



are -12-24 hours old (Davis and West, 1993), these 

 new POF's in vermilion snapper indicate that spawn- 

 ing took place during the previous afternoon or 

 evening. 



In 23 collections, 3.5% of spawning females had 

 HO's, 8.9% had new POF's, and 30.5% had old POF's 

 (Table 13). This finding corresponded to a spawning 

 periodicity of about every seven days or 23 times per 



