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Population dynamics and reproduction of Holothuria tubulosa (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) in the Aegean Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2010

Georgios Kazanidis ,
Chryssanthi Antoniadou ,
Alexios P. Lolas ,
Nikos Neofitou ,
Dimitris Vafidis ,
Chariton Chintiroglou  and
Christos Neofitou
Georgios Kazanidis
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece
Chryssanthi Antoniadou
Affiliation:
Aristotle University, School of Biology, Department of Zoology, Thessaloniki, Greece
Alexios P. Lolas
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece
Nikos Neofitou
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece
Dimitris Vafidis*
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece
Chariton Chintiroglou
Affiliation:
Aristotle University, School of Biology, Department of Zoology, Thessaloniki, Greece
Christos Neofitou
Affiliation:
University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: D. Vafidis, University of Thessaly, School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment, Nea Ionia, Magnesia, Greece email: dvafidis@uth.gr
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Abstract

The Atlanto-Mediterranean holothurian Holothuria tubulosa is among the conspicuous benthic invertebrates in the shallow sublittoral zone. It is an edible species, harvested at the Aegean Sea and utilized as fishing bait. Considering the lack of information for the Aegean populations, a one-year survey, based on monthly or semimonthly samples, was carried out focusing on population structure, allometric relationships and reproductive status of H. tubulosa stocks in Pagasitikos Gulf. Population density varied around 9.93 individuals/100 m2. This value was rather low compared with other studied Mediterranean populations of the species, possibly due to the scarcity of seagrass meadows in the area studied. All measured biometric characters showed high plasticity, and all the examined morphometric relationships followed negative allometry indicating a change to the shape of the animal's body as it grows. Holothurians’ length was a moderate predictor of biomass since r values reached 60%; in contrast a very strong relation was observed between drained and gutted weight. Size–frequency distribution analysis was unimodal with the exception of spring where a second mode of larger sized individuals appeared. The gonadosomatic index showed a single spawning season per year, in late summer; accordingly the reproductive cycle of the species showed a clear annual pattern which was highly correlated with the seasonal variations of temperature.

Keywords

population structureallometryreproductionsea-cucumbereastern MediterraneanAegean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 90 , Issue 5 , August 2010 , pp. 895 - 901
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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