Effects of seasonality on the reproductive cycle of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diadema</Emphasis> aff. <Emphasis Type="Italic">antillarum</Emphasis> in two contrasting habitats: implications for the establishment of a sea urchin fishery |
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Authors: | J C Hernández S Clemente A Brito |
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Institution: | 1.Biodiversidad, Ecología Marina y Conservación, Departamento de Biología Animal (Ciencias Marinas), Facultad de Biología,Universidad de La Laguna,La Laguna, Tenerife,Spain |
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Abstract: | Reproduction of Diadema aff. antillarum was examined between 2002 and 2005 at subtidal rocky bottoms around the Canary Islands. Two contrasting habitats (urchin
barrens and grazing fronts) characterized by different levels of food availability were chosen, and factors thought to influence
reproductive periodicity were monitored, including temperature, photoperiod, phytoplankton abundance and benthic food availability.
Histological analyses showed that D. aff. antillarum had an annual reproductive cycle that was relatively synchronous across the studied sites and habitats. Photoperiod was the
most significant factor that correlated with gonad periodicity; benthic food availability of 2 month lag was also correlated.
However, some differences were detected between males and females in the timing of the onset of gametogenesis. Spawning was
synchronized between both sexes from June to August. Results suggest that the optimum time of year to harvest urchin gonads
would be between May and June when gonads were maximal in size but not full of gametes. This species may not provide optimal
conditions for an industrial scale fishery, as sea urchins occurring in high density had small gonads and those producing
larger volume or more marketable gonad tissue occurred in low densities where harvesting costs would exceed profit. |
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