Reproduction of anglerfish ( Lophius budegassa Spinola and Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus) from the Atlantic Iberian coast

Abstract

The reproduction of black anglerfish ( Lophius budegassa Spinola) and white anglerfish ( Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus) has been studied from data collected between July 1996 and June 1997 off the Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coasts at depths between 50 and 800 m. A total of 1301 black anglerfish (5–89 cm) and 1297 white anglerfish (11–129 cm) were sampled. The sex ratio, the spawning period and the maturity ogives by length and age were studied. The overall sex ratio was close to one for both species and the observed length related differences in sex ratio were explained by the different growth rate between sexes. The spawning period for black anglerfish was between November and February and for white anglerfish between January and June. The lengths and ages at first maturity for black anglerfish were 53.6 cm and 9–10 years for females, 38.6 cm and 7 years for males and 44.7 cm and 8 years for combined sexes. The lengths and ages at first maturity of white anglerfish were 93.9 cm and 14 years for females and 50.3 cm and 6 years for males. In this study no spawning white anglerfish females were sampled and the number of mature females was low for both species, suggesting a reproductive migration to other areas or depths.