Gonadal development and fecundity of bogue Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sparidae) on the central Algerian coast

Abstract

Boops boops sexuality was studied in 664 females, 201 males, and 103 hermaphrodites collected from central Algerian coastports between December 2013 and November 2014. Histoanatomical observations were performed to describe the sexual pattern ofB. boops. Observation of the evolution of sexual maturity stages as well as the gonadosomatic report have established the breedingperiod of B. boops as between February and June. The B. boops population fished here is in favor of females, with a percentage of 76.76%against 23.34% for males. Thus, the female to male ratio (F:M) of the sample was calculated as 1:3.3. According to the monthly value ofhepatosomatic index, the bogue seems to store its reserves in the liver. The condition factor did not significantly fluctuate. The size atfirst sexual maturity for both sexes was determined as 14.74 cm total length. Fecundity was studied by the volumetric method in 149mature females of between 13.9 and 29.4 cm in total length. Absolute fecundity varied between 36,600 and 445,200 oocytes per female.The average relative fecundity was 1 565 ± 228 oocytes per gram of body weight.