Idade, crescimento e biologia reprodutiva do peixe voador- holandês Cheilopogon cyanopterus do arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study age, growth and reproduction of the margined flyingfish Cheilopogon cyanopterus in the area of the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (SPSPA, Brazil), where this species has a relevant ecological role, acting as an important link in the epipelagic food chain. During the years 1995 to 2009, were captured mainly by light attraction 4094 specimens. To estimate age and growth was analyzed lapilli otoliths microstructure of 277 individuals, where the number of microstructures ranged from 14 and 383 to individuals with 4.6 to 36.1 cm FL. The “known-age” method was employed for validation of microstructures deposition periodicity, demonstrating a daily formation starting from hatching (Student’s t-test, df = 1 tsa = 0.7973; tsb = 0.9729; p = 12,7). Pairs of age-length data were fitted to four growth models: von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, Logistics and Richards. Based on Akaike’s information criterion and Akaike weight, the Gompertz model best described C. cyanopterus growth, explaining 91.5% of growth for the species. The following parameters were derived for that model: L∞ = 30.4; k = 0.014 e a = 2.53. The reproductive aspects were described using macro and microscopic analysis of the gonads. The analysis of gonadal indices indicated that the spawning season occurs between October and May, with peak March. The total fecundity and Batch fecundity ranged from 24670 to 77409 and 2618 to 66961, respectively, with average of 2.2 lots eliminated during the reproductive period. The maturation occurs in individuals of 22.05 cm CZ with 90 days of age. Histological analysis of gonads showed that 28% of females were mature/hydrated and 72% spawning. The concomitant presence of different stages of oocyte development in histological sections of the gonads which allowed the development of oocytes classified as synchronous in more than two groups, and as batch spawning.