engleski

Importance of the South Adriatic Pit as the spawning area. Retention and dispersion of Mediterranean moray eel, Muraena helena leptocephali from deep open waters to coastal area

Unfortunately, biological aspect, particularly knowledge of spawning determinations and larvae dispersion and retention of most economic valuable or ecologically interesting fish species in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Sea is still insufficient. This is particularly true for those fishes undertaking more extensive spawning migrations to open sea deeper waters. In this study, evidences regarding South Adriatic Pit (SAP) as reproductive area for Mediterranean moray eel, Muraena helena (family Muraenidae), as well as that at least one spawning area of morays exist in the Mediterranean Sea, will be presented. Leptocephali samples were collected in the south and middle Adriatic Sea by using a small pelagic trawl. The circulation and mean current fields were taken from previous studies. Larvae ranged in length from 7.7 to 13.1 cm, and were most abundant along the off-shore islands. Age studies revealed age of leptocephali to be from 8 to 11 months, indicating a 3-4 months long spawning season from late August to late December. We propose a scenario of the leptocephali dispersion and retention from SAP to coastal area. We believe that future studies should be carried out in the SAP, leading to the support of hypothesis about this place as spawning place for numerous meso-and bathypelagic and bathybenthic Adriatic fish, but also for a number of coastal fishes that undertake open sea spawning migration to circle the life cycle. This knowledge is exceedingly important to override some of the largest gaps related to the recruitment and processes affecting survival of the early life stages. All of that is necessary for better species conservation and stock assessment.

South Adriatic Pit; spawning area; Muraena helena

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