Reproductive Strategy of a Continental Shelf Lane Snapper Population from the Southern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Reproductive strategy in snapper seems directly related to whether a population or a species occurs over a continental or insular habitat. Since studies on Lane Snapper Lutjanus synagris reproduction have been mostly focused on populations associated with islands, the purpose of this work was to assess the reproductive strategy of a continental shelf population. Specimens (n = 1,165) sampled in the southern Gulf of Mexico along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula between February 2008 and April 2010 were analyzed through histological examination of gonads. A male-biased overall sex ratio was observed, with females being preponderant in larger size-classes. As expected, the Yucatan population displayed the typical continental pattern of sexual maturity and reproductive seasonality. Percentage of maximum size at first maturity was less than 41% for both females and males, and the species reproduced in shallow waters (7-26-m depth) all along the Yucatan coast, mainly between March and July, with spawning peaks observed in May and July. Lane Snapper exhibit asynchronous oocyte recruitment and batch spawning. Results of this study were compared with reproductive data available from both island and continental Lane Snapper populations. It was observed that Lane Snapper populations do not always conform to the pattern of reproductive seasonality and/or size at sexual maturity with regard to habitat type. This study contributes new information concerning the Lane Snapper's reproductive strategy with regard to habitat type and depth and offers valuable information for the establishment of management strategies designed for Lane Snapper from the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Geographic variation in the life history of lane snapper Lutjanus synagris, with new insights from the warm edge of its distribution

“…Much of the life‐history data from the years 1980–2000 have been reviewed by Claro et al . (2001) and Claro and Lindeman (2008), and from more recent years by other authors ( e.g ., Aschenbrenner et al ., 2017; Trejo‐Martíınez et al ., 2021). These authors have employed different methods to age the fish ( e.g ., reading of scales, whole otoliths or sectioned otoliths) and to calculate longevity and GSI ( e.g ., monthly GSI from only mature fish).…”

Length-Based Spawning Potential Ratio (LB-SPR) for Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio) and Associated Species in the Commercial Fishery of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

“…In the Caribbean populations individuals can reach sizes up to 71 cm, often showing an allometric negative growth pattern, and a lifespan of 14 years [52,[62][63][64]. In CB region, individuals reach size up to 43 cm, females typically being larger than males [65].…”

“…Lane snapper (L. synagris) primarily reproduces between March and July, with spawning peaks occurring in May and July. Larger size classes (36.0 cm FL) are predominantly composed of females that reach maturity at an L min of 15 cm FL and an L 50 of 17.8 cm FL [65]. Both snappers exhibit asynchronous development of oocytes and batch fecundity; the yellowtail snapper can produce up to 160,000 oocytes, while the lane snapper can produce up to 200,000 oocytes [61,65].…”

Potential Impact of Climate Change on Fish Reproductive Phenology: A Case Study in Gonochoric and Hermaphrodite Commercially Important Species from the Southern Gulf of Mexico

“…Conversely, the three analyzed snapper species are gonochoristic [34,35]. The reproductive biology of Campeche Bank's populations were analyzed: between 1988 and 1993 for red grouper [36]; 1996 and 2001 for black grouper and gag [37,38]; 1999 and 2000 for red snapper [39]; 2008 and 2010 for red hind, tiger grouper and yellowfin grouper [40,41], and yellowtail snapper and lane snapper [42,43], and between 2011 and 2015 for hogfish [44]. In the present study, species' spawning seasonality was assessed, considering only the reproductive cycle of females, because ovaries best reflect the duration of fish spawning activity [45].…”

“…Figure 1. Species' natural female reproductive cycle of studied grouper (green bars)[36][37][38]40,41], snapper (blue bars)[39,42,43], and wrasse (orange bar)[44] from the Campeche Bank. Colors indicate monthly mean sea surface temperatures (SST) predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, for the more-plausible CMIP6 SSP2-4.5 scenario projected for 2022[46][47][48].…”