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Reproductive biology of the smoothback angel shark, Squatina oculata (Elasmobranchii: Squatinidae), from the coast of Senegal (eastern tropical Atlantic)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 September 2002

C. Capapé
Affiliation:
Laboratoire d'Ichtyologie, case 102, Université Montpellier II, Sciences et Techniques du Languedoc, 34095 Montpellier cedex 05, France
A.A. Seck
Affiliation:
Musée de la Mer, Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire Cheikh Anta Diop, Gorée, Sénégal
A. Gueye-Ndiaye
Affiliation:
Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, BP 5005, Dakar, Sénégal
Y. Diatta
Affiliation:
Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, BP 5005, Dakar, Sénégal
M. Diop
Affiliation:
Département de Biologie Animale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, BP 5005, Dakar, Sénégal

Abstract

Two species of genus Squatina were recorded off the coast of Senegal and Squatina oculata is the most commonly caught in the area. Adult males and females studied were over 820 and 890 mm total length (TL) respectively, with the largest male and the largest female recorded being 1450 mm and 1570 mm and weighed 37 kg and 39 kg respectively. The females were significantly heavier than the males. Size at birth was between 226 and 266 mm and weight at birth between 129 and 159 g. Weight of ripe oocytes ranged from 87·65 to 117·60 g (mean SD 101·73±&;8·65). Gestation lasts one year minimum. Squatina oculata is a lecithotrophic species. Counts of ripe oocytes, eggs, embryos and fully developed foetuses showed that ovarian fecundity is significantly higher than uterine fecundity. The former ranged from 8 to 20 (mean SD 12·04±5·80), the latter from 3 to 8 (mean SD 6·22±3·41). There is no relationship between size and the categories of fecundity. Adult males and females were more common than the other categories of specimens landed. Among adults, females were more numerous than males, mainly gravid specimens.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2002 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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