Collins et al.: Reproductive patterns, sex ratio, and fecundity of Mycteroperca microlepis 
419 
Table 2 
Results of histology on gonads of gag observed with heavy ventral pigmentation, 1991-94 (M = male, F = female, T = possible 
early transitional male). Stage (see “Methods” section): 1 = primary growth; 3 = vitellogenic; 4 = hydrated; 6 = possible sperm 
crypts; 7 = inactive; 8 = active; 9 = ripening; and 10 = ripe. C = commercial and R = recreational. Numbers in parentheses indicate 
number aged. 
Year and 
month 
n 
Total 
length 
(mm) 
Age (yr) 
Gonad 
wt.(g) 
Catch 
depth 
(m) 
Fishery 
Sex 
Stage 
1991 
Feb 
i 
985 
— 
31.2 
- 
C 
T 
6 
i 
886 
— 
15.4 
45.7-54.9 
C 
M 
8 
May 
2 
1140,1150 
12,14 
47.2,69.4 
— 
C 
M 
10 
Sep 
1 
1140 
— 
33.1 
— 
R 
M 
10 
Dec 
1 
1170 
— 
28.9 
— 
C 
M 
10 
Total 
6 
886-1170 
12,14 (2) 
15.4-69.4 
45.7-54.9 
C,R 
T,M 
6-10 
1992 
Jun 
2 
1100,1162 
8,11 
19.2,22.4 
— 
R 
M 
8-10 
Oct 
1 
1276 
20 
8.9 
39.6- J 
R 
M 
9 
Dec 
6 
965-1143 
11(1) 
24.7-58.6 
57.9-68.6 
C 
M 
7-10 
Total 
9 
965-1276 
8-20 
8.9-58.6 
57.9-68.6 
C,R 
M 
7-10 
1993 
Feb 
1 
1170 
17 
84.5 
54.9-76.2 
C 
M 
10 
1 
858 
7 
54.6 
— 
R 
F 
3 
Jun 
1 
1030 
9 
55.2 
— 
R 
F 
1 
Jul 
6 
1070-1290 
10-20 
12.8-25.7 
57.9-59.4 
C,R 
M 
7-10 
Aug 
1 
1105 
11 
13.9 
54.9-67.1 
C 
M 
9 
Oct 
2 
1065,1095 
13,- 
13.6,17.9 
115.8 
C 
M 
9 
Total 
12 
858-1290 
7-20 
12.8-84.5 
54.9-115.8 
C,R 
M,F,T 
1-10 
1994 
Apr 
8 
980-1201 
7-12 
35.7-49.9 
67.1-109.7 
C 
M 
10 
1 
1120 
12 
267.7 
67.1 
C 
T 
6 
1 
1090 
9 
152.6 
67.1 
C 
F 
4 
May 
11 
1055-1240 
8-22 
6.4-120.0 
53.3-106.7 
C 
M 
8-10 
Jul 
4 
1130-1210 
11-20 
12.8-22.7 
54.9-99.1 
C 
M 
9-10 
Aug 
4 
1085-1235 
— 
18.2-27.8 
79.2 
C 
M 
9-10 
Sep 
1 
1175 
— 
40.9 
50.3 
c 
M 
10 
Oct 
1 
1242 
— 
30.9 
79.2 
R 
M 
10 
Nov 
1 
1230 
— 
21.8 
— 
C 
M 
10 
Dec 
1 
981 
— 
5.4 
41.1-44.2 
c 
M 
10 
Total 
33 
980-1240 
7-22 
5.4-267.7 
41.1-109.7 
c 
M,F,T 
4-10 
Grand total 
(1991-94) 
60 
858-1290 
7-22 
5.4-267.7 
41.1-115.8 
C,R 
M,F,T 
1-10 
1 Questionable depth from spearfishing tournament. 
3, A and B). Female GSIs (rc-1,695) ranged from 0.01 
to 8.29, with greatest mean GSI (0.21-2.60) occur- 
ring from February through March in all years (Fig. 
3A). Male GSIs (n=59) ranged from 0.02 to 0.82, with 
greatest GSI occurring during February (n- 1) in 1991 
(Fig. 3B). Possible early transitional male GSI (n=l) 
was 1.65 in April 1994 (only one possible transitional 
male with an intact gonad and an accurate total 
weight was collected). 
Histological staging of ovaries collected in 1993 
(n=209) and 1994 (r? =437) also confirmed winter-spring 
spawning (Fig. 4). All ovaries were stage 1 from June 
through September and stage 2 from October through 
January. Stage-3 ovaries first appeared in December 
and stage-4 in February. Stage-4 and stage-5 ovaries 
indicated that spawning occurred from February 
through April in 1993-94, corroborating GSI analysis. 
Stage-5 ovaries (containing nondegenerating POFs) 
were extremely rare (n- 7), occurring only in January, 
March, and July 1993, and April 1994. Small numbers 
of hydrated oocytes appeared as remnants in the cen- 
ter of stage- 1 ovaries after the spawning season. 
