Aspects of the general biology of Sars’ eelpout, Lycenchelys sarsi (Collett, 1871) (Pisces, Zoarcidae), in Oslofjorden, Norway

Abstract

Biological data on the sizes, age, growth and aspects of the reproduction of Sars’ eelpout Lycenchelys sarsi were obtained during a study of the Oslojord fish fauna in 1981. Lycenchelys sarsi is a relatively small zoarcid that occurs on soft sediment. Spawning in the Oslofjord occurs between April and possibly as late as August. This species is typical for zoarcids in that it has a relatively low fecundity (20–40 eggs per female) and the eggs are relatively large (yolked oocytes up to 5.4 mm diameter). Sexual maturity is reached when the fish are approximately 11 cm in total length, corresponding to an age of 3–5 years. The maximum ages of L. sarsi found in the Oslofjord were 6+ years. In general, males reach a larger size than females.

Keywords:

• Age
• Oslofjord
• reproduction
• Sars’ eelpout

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Professor John S. Gray for facilities provided at the Institute for Biology, Department of Marine Zoology and Marine Chemistry, University of Oslo, the skippers of RV Bjørn Føyn and the commercial trawlers in Oslofjorden (MFV Bris and Gunnar), P. K. Egberg, M. Anstenrud for assistance with the field work, the Borgestad Legat I for financial support. R. D. M. Nash was in receipt of a Royal Society Fellowship Grant under the European Science Exchange Programme. Dr Javier Tomas, now at Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (IMEDEA), CSIC-UIB, Baleares, Spain is thanked for undertaking otolith preparations for verification of annuli based on numbers of primary increments. This manuscript was completed while R. D. M. Nash was on sabbatical at the Department of Biology at the University of Bergen.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Editorial responsibility: Aril Slotte