Aspects of Reproductive Biology in Mudskipper, Periophthalmus papilio from Mangrove Swamps of Lagos Lagoon, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The present study was conducted on aspects of reproductive biology of mudskipper, Periophthalmus papilio (Bloch and Schneider 1801) from the mangrove swamps of Lagos lagoon in Nigeria. P. papilio is an economically valued fish species, both as food for the populace and baits for industrial or offshore fisheries in Nigeria and the entire coasts of West African sub-region. 2167 individual fish were caught from the lagoon with non return valve traps between May 2006 and May 2008. Data on sex, total length (TL), gonad (GW) body weight (BW) measurements were carried out on individual specimen. These data were used in the determination of sex ratio, gonadosomatic index (GSI), and maturation in this species. The sex ratio of 1 male to 1.42 females was observed but was not significantly different (X 2 =57.04>X 2 1, 0.05=3.84) but a departure from the theoretical 1male:1female sex ratio. Females population were more than the males. The GSI values varied from 0.01 to 0.48% in males and between 0.11 and 8.40% in females. 0.104±0.004 (in males) and 2.69±0.03% (in females) of the body mass were used in gonad development. The eggs were as small as 0.20mm and as big as 0.50 mm (mean = 0.36±0.01 mm) in diameter for average fish of 116 mm TL.. Seven (7) stages of maturity: immature, immature and developing, ripening, ripe, ripe running, spent, and resting/representing the pre-, spawning and post spawning period were encountered in this study. The fish were identified as male at 70 mm TL and as females at 60mm but riped at 90mm TL. The maturity of females was earlier than the males. The maturity stages obtained from the present study were in conformity with those reported in other teleosts though with modifications. Therefore, the sex ratios, egg diameters, gonadosomatic index and maturation of the species in Lagos lagoon were investigated to provide baseline data for future ecological and biological studies of this species and other species within the Nigerian mangrove swamps, estauaries and coastal waters. (LAWSON Emmanuel O. Aspects of reproductive biology in mudskipper, Periophthalmus papilio from mangrove swamps of Lagos lagoon, Lagos, Nigeria. New York Science Journal 2010; 3(11):103-110). (ISSN: 1554-0200).