Reproductive biology and spawning of the myctophid Lampanyctodes hectoris and the sternoptychid Maurolicus muelleri in the southern Benguela Ecosystem

Abstract

The myctophid Lampanyctodes hectoris is caught by purse-seiners in the Benguela ecosystem off southern Africa. Ichthyoplankton surveys indicate peak spawning in late winter/spring, with eggs and larvae concentrated offshore of the 200 m isobath. Fecundity ranges from 572 to 1431 eggs·g⁻¹ wet body mass, and gonadal activity is confined to a few months of the year, peaking in July and August. The sternoptychid Maurolicus muelleri is not fished commercially in the Benguela ecosystem, but its eggs and larvae are present throughout the year, with a maximum in summer and a lesser peak in winter. Maximum egg abundance follows the 200 m isobath in water of surface temperature 12,75–15,45°C. Its fecundity ranges from 161 to 738 eggs·g⁻¹ and gonads are active during all months, suggesting a more prolonged spawning season than for L. hectoris.