Gonad Development and Spawning of Hotoscope/us kr(j)yeri in the Northwest Atlantic, with Observations on Other Biological Characteristics

• Main Authors: G. P. Mazhirina, A. A. Filin
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.605.2675; http://journal.nafo.int/j07/mazhirin.pdf

Maturation of male and female Notoscopelus krever), one of the most common myctophids in the North Atlantic, was investigated from samples which were collected during autumn and winter months in the Grand Bank and Flemish Cap areas of the Northwest Atlantic. The specimens ranged in length from 45 to 150 mm and in age from 1 to 6 years. The data indicated that spawning occurs over the slopes of Grand Bank and Flemish Cap mainly during February and March. Maturation for first spawning occurs over the length range of 92-105 mm which appears to correspond to the size range of age 3 fish. The condition factor declined sharply from February to March, confirming that this is the time of peak spawning. The feeding intensity was quite low during the autumn and early winter period of gonad development but increased gradually during the spawning and postspawning season (February-April).