Reproductive seasonality, maturation, fecundity, and spawning frequency of the vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, off the southeastern United States

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Author

Cuellae, Nicole

Sedberry, George R.

Wyanski, David M.

Subject

Vermilion snapper

Description

Vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, is an important species in headboat and commercial reef fisheries in the southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas. The reproductive biology of vermilion snapper was determined from samples collected on biweekly research cruises (April to August 1992 and May 1993) and from samples collected from commercial vessels (September to April 1992-93). Vermilion snapper did not exhibit a 1:1 sex ratio; 63% of the specimens were female. The reproductive season of vermilion snapper is April through late September in the southeastern United States. All vermilion snapper examined were mature, with the smallest female at 165 mm FL, the smallest male at 179mm FL. The smallest fish aged (165 mmFL) was two years old. Length was the best predictor of batch fecundity lBF=O.0438FL2.5081. Vermilion snapper spawn approximately every five days or about 35 times a year. Atresia did not significantly affect fecundity estimates. Vermilion snapper is an indeterminate spawner; its oocytes mature continuously during the spawning season and there is no hiatus between the size distribution of the oocyte classes. Total fecundity did not decline over the spawning season. Rather, it gradually increased through August and then declined in September. Mean oocyte diameter stayed constant over the reproductive season. The order of spawning batches was not consistent with the determinate fecundity prediction.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10827/10561

Collections

• Fishery Bulletin

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Date

1996

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Date Accessioned	2013-08-22T18:28:31Z
Date Available	2013-08-22T18:28:31Z
dc.description	Vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens, is an important species in headboat and commercial reef fisheries in the southeastern United States, especially in the Carolinas. The reproductive biology of vermilion snapper was determined from samples collected on biweekly research cruises (April to August 1992 and May 1993) and from samples collected from commercial vessels (September to April 1992-93). Vermilion snapper did not exhibit a 1:1 sex ratio; 63% of the specimens were female. The reproductive season of vermilion snapper is April through late September in the southeastern United States. All vermilion snapper examined were mature, with the smallest female at 165 mm FL, the smallest male at 179mm FL. The smallest fish aged (165 mmFL) was two years old. Length was the best predictor of batch fecundity lBF=O.0438FL2.5081. Vermilion snapper spawn approximately every five days or about 35 times a year. Atresia did not significantly affect fecundity estimates. Vermilion snapper is an indeterminate spawner; its oocytes mature continuously during the spawning season and there is no hiatus between the size distribution of the oocyte classes. Total fecundity did not decline over the spawning season. Rather, it gradually increased through August and then declined in September. Mean oocyte diameter stayed constant over the reproductive season. The order of spawning batches was not consistent with the determinate fecundity prediction.
Media Type	Document
Item Language	English
Publisher	South Carolina State Library
Digital Collection	South Carolina State Documents Depository
Rights	Copyright status undetermined. For more information contact, South Carolina State Library, 1500 Senate Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.
Type	Text
Digitization Specifications	This South Carolina State Document was either saved from a document available publicly online in PDF format or converted to PDF using Adobe Acrobat X Professional.