Reproductive biology of the Subfamily ILLICINAE, Illex coindetii and Todaropsis eblanae (Cephalopoda: Ommastrephidae Steenstrup, 1857) off Northwest Africa

Abstract

This paper describes the investigations on the reproductive biology of two by-catch squid species, lllex coindetii and Todaropsis eblanae (Cephalopoda, Ommastrephidae) from the Spanish fishing trawl fleet off Northwest Africa (35º N - 4 º N). Samples were taken between May 1989 and February 1992. Biological and fishery data were recorded for each individual: dorsal mantle length, total weight, sex and weight of the components of the reproductive system; fishing date, latitude, longitude, and depth of the trawl as a we11 as others qualitative data (other species in the catches, type of bottom, etc). lllex coindetii showed a year round spawning, although during spring it takes place with higher intensity. Male mature to a smaller size than female and, it was observed that the size of maturity decrease from north to south for both sexes. Males of Todaropsis eblanae, as it was observed for /. coindetii, mature to a smaller size than female. Results suggest that T. eblanae mate and spawns principally in April-June and October-January. A significative difference was found between the number of spermatophores by male of both species, being 1412 the highest number for /. coindetii and 269 for T. eblanae.