Macchi et al.: Maternal effects on fecundity and egg quality of Merluccius hubbsi 
331 
DW = 2.49 + 0.061 HSI + 0.00009GW. (6) 
(r 2 =0.20, n=178, [P<0.03]) 
The mean diameters of the oil droplets in hydrated 
oocytes that were estimated for young (<40 cm TL) and 
old (>70 cm TL) Argentine Hake females were 265.82 
pm (SE 20.33) and 275.71 pm (SE 1.49), respective- 
ly. Comparison of this variable between both length 
groups showed highly significant differences (P<0.001), 
indicating more lipid accumulated in eggs from larger 
females than in eggs from first-time spawners. 
The regression analysis between the sizes of the 
oil droplets (OD) and egg diameters (ED) of Argentine 
Hake eggs collected during plankton sampling showed 
a significant positive relationship (P<0.01), described 
by the following equation: 
OD = 0.4168PD - 146.46. (7) 
(r 2 =0.34, n=102) 
This result corroborates the notion that larger eggs 
of Argentine Hake have more lipid reserves for larval 
growth and, therefore, have a higher probability that 
they will produce larger larvae. 
Feeding activity during spawning 
The regression analysis between the proportion of emp- 
ty stomachs (PE) and TL for data obtained in January 
2010 and 2011 showed a significant negative logarith- 
mic relationship (P<0.01), indicating that intensity of 
feeding during spawning increases with female size. 
This tendency was more evident in Argentine Hake fe- 
males <55 cm TL because individuals of this species in 
larger length classes showed high variability in feeding 
activity (Fig. 5). This relationship was described by the 
following equation: 
PE = 1.6824 - 0.2937Ln TL. (8) 
(r 2 =0.39, n=45) 
Discussion 
Batch fecundity values for the Patagonian stock of 
Argentine Hake, estimated with samples collected in 
January 2010 and 2011, did not differ statistically and 
showed a positive relationship with size, weight, and 
age of the spawning females. The range of fecundity 
data (40,500-2,550,000 hydrated oocytes) was simi- 
lar to estimated values from previous studies of Ar- 
gentine Hake during the same month in other years 
(Macchi et al., 2004), but the range was much higher 
than values obtained for other species of Merluccius : 
Peruvian Hake (M. gayi peruanus ) (see Canal, 1989), 
New Zealand Hake (M. australis) (see Balbontin and 
Bravo, 1993), European Hake (M. merluccius) (see 
Murua et al., 2006; Recasens et al., 2008; El Habouz 
et al., 2011), Cape Hake (M. capensis), and Deepwater 
Hake (M. paradoxus) (see Osborne et al., 1999). Batch 
fecundity was influenced also by female condition, ex- 
pressed mainly by liver weight, as was evident from 
the positive relationship between the number of eggs 
produced by batch and the HSI. In addition, relative 
fecundity, a variable that did not show a significant re- 
lationship with female size in Argentine Hake (Macchi 
et al., 2004), also was influenced positively by the HSI. 
