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Reproductive biology of Rioraja agassizi from the coastal southwestern Atlantic ecosystem between northern Uruguay (34°S) and northern Argentina (42°S)

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Abstract

A total of 552 individuals of Rioraja agassizi (257 females and 295 males) were collected by bottom-trawl during research cruises. Sexual dimorphism was observed with females are heavier than males for a given total length (TL). Using logistic regression, it was determined that TL at 50% maturity of males was 475 mm TL and of females 520 mm TL. This estimation agrees with the morphological parameters measured. Although not statistically significant, a peak in reproductive activity was observed in males during late spring and summer. The monthly variation in the gonadosomatic index and oviducal gland width, together with the largest diameter of ovarian follicles, suggests that R. agassizi females have a partially defined annual reproductive cycle with two peaks, one from November (spring) to February (summer) and another in July (winter).

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Notes

  1. Oviducal gland refers to the portion of oviduct that produces the rigid egg capsule, the thin pliable transient egg candle case and egg jelly that surrounds the fertilized egg (Hamlett et al. 1998).

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Acknowledgements

This paper is part of J. Colonello PhD thesis and was supported by CONICET and INIDEP. JHC would like to thank the American Elasmobranch Society for travel funds to attend this meeting where this paper was presented as part of a symposium on the biology of skates. We wish to express our gratitude to crews of the INIDEP and to C. Carozza and A. Massa. We also thank R. Menni, A. Milessi, A. Vagelli, G. Ortí, D. Ebert and J. Sulikowski for comments and suggestions. INIDEP contribution Number 1440.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, Paseo Victoria Ocampo No 1, Escollera Norte, Mar del Plata, 7600, Argentina

    Jorge H. Colonello & Carlos A. Lasta

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rivadavia 1917, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Jorge H. Colonello & Mirta L. García

  3. Departamento de Zoología de Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque S/N, La Plata, 900, Argentina

    Mirta L. García

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  1. Jorge H. Colonello
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  2. Mirta L. García
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  3. Carlos A. Lasta
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Correspondence to Jorge H. Colonello.

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Colonello, J.H., García, M.L. & Lasta, C.A. Reproductive biology of Rioraja agassizi from the coastal southwestern Atlantic ecosystem between northern Uruguay (34°S) and northern Argentina (42°S). Environ Biol Fish 80, 277–284 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9239-0

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