J Fish Biol. 2021 Dec;99(6):1869-1886. doi: 10.1111/jfb.14889. Epub 2021 Sep 06.

Age, growth and reproductive life-history characteristics infer a high population productivity for the sustainably fished protogynous hermaphroditic yellowspotted rockcod (Epinephelus areolatus) in north-western Australia.

Journal of fish biology

Dion K Boddington, Corey B Wakefield, Emily A Fisher, David V Fairclough, Euan S Harvey, Stephen J Newman

PMID: 34431089 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14889

Abstract

The yellowspotted rockcod, Epinephelus areolatus, is a small-sized grouper that is widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific, where it forms a valuable component of the harvest derived from multispecies fisheries along continental and insular shelves. Samples of E. areolatus were collected from 2012 to 2018 from commercial catches and research surveys in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne regions of north-western Australia to improve the understanding of the life history, inherent vulnerability and stock status of this species. Histological analysis of gonads (n = 1889) determined that E. areolatus was a monandric protogynous hermaphrodite. Non-functional spermatogenic crypts were dispersed within the ovaries of 23% of mature functioning females; nonetheless, these crypts were not observed during the immature female phase. The length and age at which 50% of females matured were 266 mm total length (L

© 2021 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Keywords: Epinephelidae; extended spawning period; maturity; otolith sections; reproduction; sex change

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