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New data on the reproductive biology of the common guitarfish of the Gulf of Gabès (southern Tunisia, central Mediterranean)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 July 2008

Samira Enajjar ,
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai  and
Abderrahmen Bouain
Samira Enajjar*
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax
Abderrahmen Bouain
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences de Sfax. BP. 802–3018 Sfax
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Samira Enajjar Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax email: enajjarsamira@yahoo.fr
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Abstract

The common guitarfish Rhinobatos rhinobatos is abundanly captured along the coast of the Gulf of Gabès (southern Tunisia). The sizes at the first sexual maturity of females and males are 790 and 700 mm total length (TL) respectively. Females are larger than males; the maximum TL for males and females is 1000 and 1200 mm respectively. The smallest gravid female observed is 750 mm TL. Rhinobatos rhinobatos is an aplacental viviparous species. The two ovaries and the two uteri are functional. Mature oocytes and foetuses are symmetrically distributed respectively in ovaries and uteri. Vitellogenesis and gestation occur simultaneously. Gestation lasts 10 to 12 months; parturition occurs from the end of summer to the beginning of autumn. Mating and ovulation take place after parturition. Ovarian fecundity is higher than uterine fecundity; means of 8.95 and 5.34 young per year are respectively calculated. There is a positive relationship between the two categories of fecundity and size of females. The size at birth ranges from 250 to 290 mm TL. The common guitarfish is purely a lecithotrophic species. The chemical balance of development is estimated at 1.02.

Keywords

reproductionRhinobatos rhinobatosGulf of GabèsTunisiaMediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 88 , Issue 5 , August 2008 , pp. 1063 - 1068
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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