Age and reproductive investment in grass goby females in the Venice lagoon |
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Authors: | Anita Franco Stefano Malavasi Fabio Pranovi Piero Franzoi Patrizia Torricelli |
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Institution: | 1.Department of Environmental Sciences Informatics and Statistics,Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia,Venezia,Italy |
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Abstract: | The present work describes the relationship between age and reproductive investment in the grass goby females in the Venice
Lagoon. Age was estimated by otoliths reading, while reproductive investment was assessed by either the relative number of
mature females across the breeding season and their gonadosomatic index. Females from different size/age classes differed
in the timing and level of reproductive investment. The oldest females (3+ years old) appeared earlier in the spawning habitat,
investing more at the beginning of the breeding season. In turn a later arrival in the spawning habitats has been observed
for younger females (0+) and smaller individuals of 1+ and 2+ age classes. Present results gave evidence of an earlier age/size
at sexual maturity of the grass goby in the Venice Lagoon compared to previous information on the species from the same lagoon
and from other Mediterranean areas. Results were discussed in the light of previous data on reproductive strategy of nesting
males and of the relationship between fishing pressure and life history traits in the Venice lagoon. |
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