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Seasonal changes in size, sex-ratio and body condition of the damselfish Chromis chromis in the central Mediterranean Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2014

Claudia Bracciali ,
Susanna Piovano ,
Gianluca Sarà  and
Cristina Giacoma
Claudia Bracciali*
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Susanna Piovano
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
Gianluca Sarà
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Cristina Giacoma
Affiliation:
Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: C. Bracciali, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy email: claudiabracciali@gmail.com
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Abstract

Chromis chromis is one of the most abundant fish species on the Mediterranean rocky shores. Acting as a by-pass of nutrients from the pelagic to the rocky littoral system, it plays an important role as a resource provider and has a relevant function in the community assemblage. Chromis chromis has many of the characteristics required of an indicator species (e.g. it is easy to recognize in the field, small sized, widespread and abundant). In this study we focused on individual size, sex-ratio and body condition in a damselfish population occurring in a central Mediterranean marine protected area. Fishing trials on a monthly basis (April–November) allowed us to assess seasonal changes in population structure. Fish were measured and weighed and a subsample was aged and sexed. On average, males were larger than females. The allometric coefficient, b, for the whole population was 2.99; the maximum age recorded was 7.5 yr. Before reproduction sex-ratio was close to parity (M:F 1:0.78), while a larger proportion of females was captured during the reproductive period. In conclusion, our results show that the population dynamics of C. chromis is influenced by both sex and size. Since males and females have different behavioural strategies, and since the length of the spawning period is shorter in the smaller than in the larger-sized individuals, this is reflected in temporal changes observed in the population structure.

Keywords

damselfishseasonal changesbody sizebody conditionsex-ratioMediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 5 , August 2014 , pp. 1053 - 1061
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2014 

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