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Fecundity, egg masses and hatchlings of Benthoctopus spp. (Octopodidae) in Falkland waters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 June 2001

Vladimir Laptikhovsky
Affiliation:
Falkland Islands Fisheries Department, PO Box 598, Stanley, Falkland Islands, E-mail: fish.fig@horizon.co.fk Atlantic Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography, 5 D. Donkoy St., Kaliningrad, 236 000 Russia, E-mail: sea@atlant.baltnet.ru

Abstract

Four Benthoctopus species are recognized in the waters of the Falkland Islands: B. eureka, B. magellanicus, Benthoctopus sp. A, and Benthoctopus sp. B. Initial oocyte reserve of B. eureka is 250–535 eggs, the actual fecundity is 75–234 eggs while the rest of the oocytes degenerate at maturation. Larger females have higher fecundity. Gonad maturation of Benthoctopus sp. A and Benthoctopus sp. B follows a similar pattern. The Benthoctopus egg masses contained 170–190 eggs. The hatchlings possess arms that are much longer than mantle length with a large number of suckers, and do not have discernible chromatophores.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2001 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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