Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea)
<i>Holothuria mammata</i> is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber, as well as one of the main target species harvested in the Mediterranean and NE-Atlantic regions. This study aims to describe the reproductive cycle of <i>H. mammata</i> in a coastal area of southw...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/5/622 |
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| author | Eliana Venâncio Pedro M. Félix Ana C. Brito Francisco Azevedo e Silva Tomás Simões João Sousa Susana Mendes Ana Pombo |
| author_facet | Eliana Venâncio Pedro M. Félix Ana C. Brito Francisco Azevedo e Silva Tomás Simões João Sousa Susana Mendes Ana Pombo |
| author_sort | Eliana Venâncio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Holothuria mammata</i> is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber, as well as one of the main target species harvested in the Mediterranean and NE-Atlantic regions. This study aims to describe the reproductive cycle of <i>H. mammata</i> in a coastal area of southwest Portugal. Monthly samplings were carried out for 19 months, with the concomitant collection of environmental data and biometric data. <i>H. mammata</i> had a sex ratio of 1:1.2 (male:female) and a size at first maturity of 142 mm for males and 167 mm for females. The gonadosomatic index (GI) peaked between April and May for both sexes. Gonad development started when days had a shorter photoperiod (9 to 13 h of sunlight) and lower seawater temperature (<15 °C), and spawning occurred later, with longer photoperiod (13 to 15 h of sunlight) and higher seawater temperature (>15 °C) and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The development of new studies to increase the biological and ecological knowledge of the populations of <i>H. mammata</i> is essential to create conditions for the domestication of broodstock in captivity, to allow the development of fishing regulations based on informed decisions and to create precise measures for the conservation of ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:19:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9c81e1850f1453bb372cb898ecda61b |
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| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:19:48Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9c81e1850f1453bb372cb898ecda61b2023-11-23T10:06:06ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372022-04-0111562210.3390/biology11050622Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea)Eliana Venâncio0Pedro M. Félix1Ana C. Brito2Francisco Azevedo e Silva3Tomás Simões4João Sousa5Susana Mendes6Ana Pombo7MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2520-630 Peniche, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016 Lisbon, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2520-630 Peniche, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2520-630 Peniche, PortugalMARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, 2520-630 Peniche, Portugal<i>Holothuria mammata</i> is one of the most valuable species of sea cucumber, as well as one of the main target species harvested in the Mediterranean and NE-Atlantic regions. This study aims to describe the reproductive cycle of <i>H. mammata</i> in a coastal area of southwest Portugal. Monthly samplings were carried out for 19 months, with the concomitant collection of environmental data and biometric data. <i>H. mammata</i> had a sex ratio of 1:1.2 (male:female) and a size at first maturity of 142 mm for males and 167 mm for females. The gonadosomatic index (GI) peaked between April and May for both sexes. Gonad development started when days had a shorter photoperiod (9 to 13 h of sunlight) and lower seawater temperature (<15 °C), and spawning occurred later, with longer photoperiod (13 to 15 h of sunlight) and higher seawater temperature (>15 °C) and chlorophyll-a concentrations. The development of new studies to increase the biological and ecological knowledge of the populations of <i>H. mammata</i> is essential to create conditions for the domestication of broodstock in captivity, to allow the development of fishing regulations based on informed decisions and to create precise measures for the conservation of ecosystems.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/5/622gametogenesisgonad development stagesfirst maturitygonadosomatic indexNE-Atlantic |
| spellingShingle | Eliana Venâncio Pedro M. Félix Ana C. Brito Francisco Azevedo e Silva Tomás Simões João Sousa Susana Mendes Ana Pombo Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) Biology gametogenesis gonad development stages first maturity gonadosomatic index NE-Atlantic |
| title | Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) |
| title_full | Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) |
| title_fullStr | Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) |
| title_short | Reproductive Biology of the Sea Cucumber <i>Holothuria mammata</i> (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) |
| title_sort | reproductive biology of the sea cucumber i holothuria mammata i echinodermata holothuroidea |
| topic | gametogenesis gonad development stages first maturity gonadosomatic index NE-Atlantic |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/5/622 |
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