Breeding biology of the stomatopod <i>Harpiosquilla melanoura </i>(Crustacea: <span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN; mso-fareast-language:EN-IN;mso-bidi-language:HI" lang="EN-IN">Stomatopoda) occurring in Parangipettai waters, southeast coast of India</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height: 115%;font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" color:black;mso-ansi-language:en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-in;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-IN">The present study on breeding biology of <i>Harpiosquilla melanoura </i>Manning occurring in Parangipettai waters covers size at first maturity, sex ratio, fecundity and annual reproductive cycle. The minimum size at first maturity was found to be 142 mm and it was attained during the second year. Sex ratio showed that it conformed to the expected 1:1 ratio in all the months expect one. However when the data were pooled for the whole year, it conformed to 1:1. Fecundity varied from 5,24,963 ova for an animal with a total length of 153 mm to 10,04,523 ova for 220 mm. Fecundity varied significantly between various size groups and showed perfect positive correlation with total length, total weight and ovary weight. Breeding was found to be for an extended period and the peak breeding activity was noticed in the postrnonsoon season (January-March).</span>