Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:01:29.664Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New data on the reproductive biology of the common guitarfish of the Gulf of Gabès (southern Tunisia, central Mediterranean)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 July 2008

Samira Enajjar ,
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai  and
Abderrahmen Bouain
Samira Enajjar*
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax
Mohamed Nejmeddine Bradai
Affiliation:
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax
Abderrahmen Bouain
Affiliation:
Faculté des Sciences de Sfax. BP. 802–3018 Sfax
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Samira Enajjar Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (centre de Sfax) BP. 1035–3018 Sfax email: enajjarsamira@yahoo.fr
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The common guitarfish Rhinobatos rhinobatos is abundanly captured along the coast of the Gulf of Gabès (southern Tunisia). The sizes at the first sexual maturity of females and males are 790 and 700 mm total length (TL) respectively. Females are larger than males; the maximum TL for males and females is 1000 and 1200 mm respectively. The smallest gravid female observed is 750 mm TL. Rhinobatos rhinobatos is an aplacental viviparous species. The two ovaries and the two uteri are functional. Mature oocytes and foetuses are symmetrically distributed respectively in ovaries and uteri. Vitellogenesis and gestation occur simultaneously. Gestation lasts 10 to 12 months; parturition occurs from the end of summer to the beginning of autumn. Mating and ovulation take place after parturition. Ovarian fecundity is higher than uterine fecundity; means of 8.95 and 5.34 young per year are respectively calculated. There is a positive relationship between the two categories of fecundity and size of females. The size at birth ranges from 250 to 290 mm TL. The common guitarfish is purely a lecithotrophic species. The chemical balance of development is estimated at 1.02.

Keywords

reproductionRhinobatos rhinobatosGulf of GabèsTunisiaMediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 88 , Issue 5 , August 2008 , pp. 1063 - 1068
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abdel Aziz, S.H., Kalil, A.N. and Abdel-Maguid, S.A. (1993) Reproductive cycle of the common guitarfish, Rhinobatos rhinobatos (Linnaeus, 1758), in Alexandria waters, Mediterranean Sea. Marine Freshwater Research 44, 507–517.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bass, A.J., D'Aubery, J.D. and Kist-Nasamy, N. (1975) Sharks of the east coast of southern Africa III. The family Carcharhinidae. Oceanographic Research Institute (Durban) Investigational Report 33, 1–168.Google Scholar
Bradai, M.N., Saidi, B., Enajjar, S. and Bouain, A. (2005) The Gulf of Gabès: a spot for the Mediterranean Elasmobranchs. In Proceedings of the international workshop on Mediterranean cartilaginous fish with emphasis on south eastern Mediterranean. Istambul—Turkey, pp. 107–117.Google Scholar
Capapé, C. and Zaouali, J. (1981) Note sur la taille de première maturité sexuelle de Rhinobatos rhinobatos (Linné, 1758) et de Rh. cemiculus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817 (Pisces, Rhinobatidae) des côtes tunisiennes. Archive de l'Institut Pasteur Tunis, 58, 105–114.Google Scholar
Capapé, C. and Zaouali, J. (1994) Distribution and reproductive biology of the Blackchin Guitarfish, Rhinobathos cemiculus (Pisces, Rhinobatidae), in Tunisian waters (Central Mediterranean). Marine Freshwater Research 45, 551–561.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Capapé, C., Zaouali, J. and Quignard, J.P. (1975) Premières données sur le cycle de la reproduction de Rhinobatos rhinobatos (Linné, 1758) et de Rhinobatos cemiculus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817) des côtes tunisiennes. Archive de l'Institut Pasteur Tunis 52, 47–60.Google Scholar
Capapé, C., Ben Brahim, R. and Zaouali, J. (1997) Aspect de la biologie de reproduction de la guitare commune, Rhinobatos rhinobatos, 1758 (Rhinobatidae) des eaux tunisiennes (Méditerranée centrale). Ichtyophysiologica Acta 20, 113–127.Google Scholar
Capapé, C., Zaouali, J., Tomasini, J.A. and Bouchereau, J.L. (1992) Reproductive biology of the Spiny butterflyray, Gymnura altavela (Pisces: Gymnuridae) of the Tunisian Coasts. Scientia Marina 56, 347–355.Google Scholar
Capapé, C., Quignard, J.P. and Mellinger, J. (1990) Reproduction and development of two angel sharks, Squatina squatina and S. oculata (Pisces: Squatinidae), of Tunisian coasts: semi-delayed vitellogenesis, lack of egg capsules, and lecithotrophy. Journal of Fish Biology 37, 347–356.Google Scholar
Castro, J.I. (1993) The biology of the finetooth shark, Carcharhinus isodon. Environnemental Biology Fishes 36, 219–232.Google Scholar
Collenot, G. (1969) Longueur des ptérygopodes. Etude biométrique de la croissance relative des ptérygopodes chez la roussette, Scyliorhinus canicula. Cahier de Biologie Marine 10, 309–329.Google Scholar
Conrath, C.L. and Musick, J.A. (2002) Reproductive biology of the dusky smooth-hound, Mustelus canis, in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Environnemental Biology Fishes 64, 367–377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fredj, G. and Maurin, C. (1987) Les poissons dans les banques de données Médifaune. Application à l'étude des caractéristiques de la faune ichtyologique méditerranéenne. Cybium 11, 218–299.Google Scholar
Ghorbel, M. and Bouain, A. (1990) Age et croissance du pageot commun Pagellus erythrinus du golfe de Gabès—Tunisie. Bulletin de l'Institut National des Sciences et des Technologies Océanographiques de Pêche, Salammbô 17, 17–32.Google Scholar
Ghorbel, M., Jarboui, O., Bradai, M.N. and Bouain, A. (1996) Détermination de la taille de la première maturité sexuelle par une fonction logistique chez Limanda limanda, Pagellus erythrinus et Scorpaena porcus. Bulletin de Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer 3, 24–27.Google Scholar
Ghorbel, M., Jarboui, O., Bradai, M.N., Ouannes-Ghorbel, A., Bouain, A. and El Abed, A. (1999) Etudes biologique, démographique et dynamique du petit pagre Pagrus caeruleostictus des côtes tunisiennes. Projet National Mobilisateur de l'INSTM, 20 pp.Google Scholar
Granier, J. (1964) Les eusélaciens dans le golfe d'Aigues-Mortes. Bulletin du Muséum d' Histoire Naturelle de Marseille 25, 33–52.Google Scholar
Jensen, F.C. (2002) The reproductive biology of the porbeagle shark (Lamna nasus) in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Fishery Bulletin 100, 727–738.Google Scholar
Hamlett, W.C. (1997) Reproductive modes of elasmobranchs. Shark News 9, 1–3.Google Scholar
Hanchet, S. (1988) Reproductive biology of Squalus acanthias from the east coast, South Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine Research 22, 537–549.Google Scholar
Hemida, F., Seridji, R., Enajjar, S., Bradaï, M.N., Collier, E., Guelorget, O. and Capapé, C. (2003) New observations on the reproductive biology of the pelagic stingray, Dasyatis violacea Bonapate, 1832 (Chondrichthyes: Dasyatidae) from the Mediterranean Sea. Acta Adriatica 44, 193–204.Google Scholar
Lessa, R. (1982) Biologie et dynamique des populations de Rhinobatos horkelii du plateau continental du Rio Grande do Sul (Brésil). Thesis, Université de Bretagne occidentale, Brest. 238 pp.Google Scholar
Medhioub, K. and Perthuisot, J.P. (1977) Le comportement géochimique des eaux de la Bahiret El Biban. Conséquence sur la pêche. Bulletin de l'Office National de Pêche Tunisie 1, 23–35.Google Scholar
Mellinger, J. (1989) Reproduction et développement des Chondrichthyens. Océanis 15, 283–308.Google Scholar
Mellinger, J. and Wrisez, J. (1989) Biologie et physiologie comparée de deux sélaciens ovipares, les roussettes Scyliorhinus canicula et Scyliorhinus stellaris. Évolution de la matière sèche, de l'eau et des ions (Cl−, Na+, K+) dans le vitellus de S. canicula au cours du développement. Bulletin du Société Zoologique Française 114, 51–62.Google Scholar
Pres, M.B. and Vooren, C.M. (1991) Sexual development, reproductive cycle and fecundity of the school shark Galeorhinus galeus of Southern Brazil. Fishery Bulletin 89, 655–667.Google Scholar
Simpfendorfer, S. (1992) Reproductive strategy of the Australian sharpnose shark Rhizoprionodon taylori (Elasmobranchii: Carcharhinidae) from Clevelant Bay, Northern Queensland. Marine and Freshwater Research 43, 67–75.Google Scholar
UNEP MAP RAC/SPA (2003). Action Plan for the conservation of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyans) in the Mediterranean Sea. Ed. RAC/SPA, Tunis, 56 pp.Google Scholar
White, W.T., Hall, N.G. and Potter, I.C. (2002) Reproductive biology and growth during pre- and postnatal life of Trygonoptera personata and T. mucosa (Batoidae: Urolophidae). Marine Biology 140, 699–712.Google Scholar
Zaouali, J. and Beaten, S. (1985) Etude des peuplements animaux macrobeinthiques de la zone centrale et du bassin de la mer des Bibans par la méthode de l'analyse des correspondances. Rapport Commission Internationale pour L'Exploration Scientifique de la Mer Méditerranée, no. 23, 39–41.Google Scholar