Reproductive traits of Octopus maya (Cephalopoda: Octopoda) with implications for fisheries management

ABSTRACT

Octopus maya is the main species caught in Mexico. From September 2007 to June 2008, its sex ratio, reproductive season, frequency of non-vitellogenic and vitellogenic oocytes, reproductive indices, and size and weight at maturity, were evaluated. The monthly sex ratio was significantly different from 1:1. The major reproductive season occurs during February to June (dry season) in Yucatan. May−June is the common reproductive season to both Yucatán and Campeche populations. Higher frequencies of vitellogenic oocytes (> 50%) were found from January-March and in May. From five reproductive indices, only the macroscopic and microscopic maturity indices were the best descriptors of the reproductive season in females, whilst only the reproductive complex index was the best descriptor in males. The weight at sexual maturity (BW_50%) was 335 g for females and 242 g for males. The size at sexual maturity (DML_50%) was 12.58 cm for females and 7.42 cm for males. It is recommend revising the minimum catch size by following these results. The reproductive traits here evaluated could contribute to the recently created Plan for Management of Octopus Fisheries, in particular action line no. 1.4, which refers to protection of females during breeding, and to their protection throughout the entire reproductive season.

KEYWORDS:

• First ‘onset of’ sexual maturity
• functional maturation
• functional maturity
• maturity index
• octopus
• physiological maturation
• physiological maturity
• reproductive cycle
• reproductive indices
• size at sexual maturity

Acknowledgements

Partial data for this article were presented at a national meeting ‘V Reunion Nacional de Innovacion Acuicola y Pesquera’, 6–9 October 2014, Merida, Yucatán, Mexico (http://www.reunionesnacionales.org.mx/2014/resumenes.php/, doi:10.13140/2.1.1694.0809).

Partial histological procedure was performed at the UMAR (Project 2II1108 to OH Avila-Poveda). Thanks are due to the team Pulpo at Sisal for their professional gear handling, and we are especially grateful to Arturo George-Zamora and Felipe Briceño for their direct assistance in octopus sampling and laboratory work. Several references were requested and received via email from the CIAC (Cephalopod International Advisory Council). Avila-Poveda OH was commissioned as CONACYT Research Fellow–UAS-FACIMAR (project no. 2137). This manuscript has been improved considerably by comments and suggestions from four anonymous referees, but special thanks go to Françoise D. Lima, Unai Markaida and Kathrin Bolstad.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was partially funded by PAPIIT project No. IN212012 and CONACYT CB-2010-01/150810 to C Rosas. OH Avila-Poveda receives a CONACYT scholarship and a family grant and the results presented here are part of his PhD dissertation.