Reproductive Biology of Giant Cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis, Ehrenberg, 1831) in the Northern Waters of the Persian Gulf

Subject Areas : zoology

Nassir Niamaimandi ¹ (PhD. Head of shrimp biology research section, Iran Shrimp Research Center, Bushehr, Iran)
Ali Mobarrezi ² (M.S. Head of stock assessment division, Iran Shrimp Research Center, Bushehr, Iran.)
Gholam Moradi ³ (M.S. Stock assessment expert, Iran Shrimp Research Center, Bushehr, Iran)
Khosrow Aeinjamshid ⁴ (PhD. Research deputy, Iran Shrimp Research Center, Bushehr, Iran)

Received: 2019-09-03 Accepted : 2019-11-15 Published : 2020-09-22

Keywords: Reproductive biology, Sepia pharaonis, Persian Gulf, Bushehr and Khuzestan,

Abstract :

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the management of simultaneous catch season and spawning period of giant cuttlefish and determine a new solution for optimal management for conservation and continuity of fisheries in the region. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from the catches of traditional gear of traps at landing places of Bushehr and Khuzestan. 100 to 150 samples were randomly selected and sorted by sex. Reproductive status in males and females were studied using gonadosomatic index (GSI) and statistical calculations. Results: The result of GSI in males and females indicated the highest reproductive activity in February and March, and then reproductive activities were reduced in both sexes. Sex ratio was ½ and Chi-squared (X2) tests gave for both sexes, indicating that the ratio of males to females was significantly different (p> 0.5). The results of present study show that opening period of the giant cuttlefish in the studied area is simultaneous with maximum spawning period of the species. Based on the results of the present study, it is necessary to develop a new management for exploitation of the giant cuttlefish in the area.    

References:

1. Abdussamad EM, Meiyappan MM, Somayajulu KR. Fishery, population characteristics and stock assessment of cuttlefishes, Sepia aculeate and Sepia pharaonis at Kakinada along the east coast of India. Bangladesh Journal of Fisheries Research. 2004; 8(2): 143-150.


2. Al- Marzouqi A, Jayabalan N, Al-Nahdi A. Biology and stock assessment of the pharaoh cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831 from the Arabian Sea off Oman. Indian Journal of Fisheries. 2009. 56(4): 231-239.


3. Aoyama T, Nguyen T. Stock assessment of cuttlefish off the coast of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Shimonoseki University Fisheries. 1989; 37(2): 61-112.


4. Biswass SP. Manual of methods in fish biology.New Delhi: South Asian Publishers; 1993: 157.


5. Boyle PR. Cephalopod biology in the fisheries context. Fisheries Research. 1990; 8:
   303-321.


6. Caddy JF. The cephalopods: factors relevant to their population dynamics and to the assessment and management of stocks. In: JF Caddy (Editor), Advances in Assessment of World Cephalopod Resources. Rome: Fish. Tech. Pap. 231, FAO; 1983: 416-449.


7. CMFRI. A manual for standardised linear measurements of exploited finfish and shellfish. India, Kochi: CMFRI Pubication; 1995: 78.


8. Dunning M, Norman MD, Reid A. Cephalopoda: Introduction and general remarks. In: KE Carpenter & VH Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol.2. Cephalopods, crustaceans, holothurians and sharks. Rome: FAO Publication; 1998: 1396.


9. Gabr H, Hanlon R, Hanafy M, El-Etreby S. Maturation, fecundity and seasonality of reproduction of two commercially valuable cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis and Sepia dollfusi, in the Suez Canal. Fisheries Research. 1998; 36: 99–115.


10. Gabr HR, Hanlon RT, El-Etreby SG, Hanafy MH. Reproductive versus somatic tissue growth during the life cycle of Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831. Fishery Bulletin. 1999; 97: 802-811.


11. Ghazvineh L, Valinassab T, Savari A, Ghobadiyan F. Reproductive biology of Pharaoh cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis in the Persian Gulf. World journal of fish and marine science. 2012; 4(3): 313-319. DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjfms. 2012.04.03.6456.


12. Mohamed KS & et al. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of exploitation of juvenile cephalopods from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal and determination of minimum legal sizes. Indian Journal of Marine Biology. 2009; 51(1): 98-106.


13. Nair KP & et al. Stock assessment of the Pharaoh cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg. Indian Journal of Fisheries. 1993; 40(1-2): 85-94.


14. Nesis KN. Cephalopods of the world. Neptune City: TFH Publications; 1987: 351.


15. Norman MD. Cephalopods, a world guide: Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, Arctic, Antarctic. Germany: ConchBooks Publication;
    2003: 320.


16. Philip KP, Ali DM. Population dynamics and stock assessment of the cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis (Ehrenberg) in Wadge Bank. Studies on fish stock assessment in Indian waters. In: FAO/DANIDA/FSI Training course-cum-Workshop on Fish Stock Assessment, Visakhapatnam,14 November - 14 Dec. India: Fishery Survey of India, Spl. Publication; 1989: 66-75.


17. Reid A, Jereb P, Roper CFE. Family Sepiidae. In: Jereb P & Roper CFE (Eds.). Cephalopods of the world: An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species known to date, Vol.1. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes, Rome: FAO Publication; 2005: 57–152.


18. Roper CFE, Sweeney MJ, Nauen CE. Cephalopods of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of species of interest to fisheries: FAO species catalogue. Rome: FAO Fisheries Synopsis; 1984: 277.


19. Sasikumar G, Mohamed KS, Bhat US. Inter-cohort growth patterns of pharaoh cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis (Sepioidea: Sepiidae) in Eastern Arabian Sea. Rev. Biol. Trop. Int. J. Trop. Biol. 2013; 61(1): 1-14.


20. Silas EGR & et al. Some aspects of the biology of Cuttlefishes. In: Silas EG (Ed.). Cephalopod bionomics, fisheries and resources of the Exclusive Economic Zone of India. India, Kochi: CMFRI Pubication; 1986: 49-70.


21. Sundaram S. Fishery and biology of Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831 off Mumbai, northwest coast of India. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India. 2014; 56(2). DOI: 0.6024/jmbai.2014.56.2.01774-06: 43-47.


22. Valinassab T. Identification of cephalopods in the Oman Sea and Biological aspects of Sepia pharaonis. Final report, Iranian Fisheries Research Organization Publication; 1993: 47. [In Persian]


23. Vallinassab T. Final report the study of biology of Sepia pharaonis and identification of cephalopods. Iranian Fisheries Research Organization Publication; 1994: 65. [In Persian]


24. Valinassab T. The study of biology of Sepia pharaonis in waters of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. PhD. Thesis. Tehran: Islamic Azad University; 2000: 173. [In Persian]