Spawning and fecundity of Jenyns's sprat, Ramnogaster arcuata, a winter spawner in the temperate waters of the Río de la Plata estuary, Argentina–Uruguay

Abstract

The reproductive biology of the Jenyns's sprat Ramnogaster arcuata in the Río de la Plata area was studied using macroscopic and histological analysis of ovaries. Samples were collected during two research surveys carried out in June 1998 and June 1999. In addition monthly occurrences of this species from historical data were analysed. Jenyns's sprat specimens were mainly observed in open waters of the estuary during winter months. Most of the females collected during June 1998 and 1999 were in the spawning stage. This pattern differs from fish that reproduce in the estuarine waters of the Río de la Plata, which spawn during spring and summer. These results suggest that conditions of productivity and larval retention in the estuary also remain during winter months. This characteristic might be useful for R. arcuata larvae in avoiding competition with other estuarine spawners. Jenyns's sprat is a multiple spawner with indeterminate annual fecundity. A preliminary estimate of spawning frequency (N = 220) indicated a daily percentage of females with postovulatory follicles of 17.35%, which suggests that this species spawns on average once every six days. Batch fecundity, estimated from counts of hydrated oocytes from 40 females, ranged from 669 to 2026 hydrated oocytes in 1998 and from 570 to 1830 hydrated oocytes in 1999. Batch fecundity was fitted to a linear function of total body weight (without ovary) in 1999. Mean relative fecundity was 234 hydrated oocytes per female gram (ovary free) in 1998 and 155 hydrated oocytes per female gram (ovary free) in 1999, and no significant relationship was observed between this parameter and female size. The dry weight of 100 hydrated oocytes ranged between 3.9 and 6.3 mg, these values being significantly higher than those estimated for other species of the Río de la Plata estuary.