plSSN : 0374-8111 | elSSN : 2287-8815
plSSN : 0374-8111 | elSSN : 2287-8815
plSSN : 0374-8111elSSN : 2287-8815
Maturation and Spawning of the Largehead Hairtail Trichiurus japonicusin the Yellow Sea of Korea
성기창·김도균1·서호영2·백근욱3*
국립수산과학원 동해수산연구소 기후환경자원과, 1국립수산과학원 수산자원연구센터, 2전남대학교 해양융합과학과, 3경상국립대학교 해양생명
과학과/해양산업연구소/해양생물교육연구센터
The largehead hairtail Trichiurus japonicus is an economically important fish species in Korean waters. However, relatively few studies exist on its reproductive biology in the Yellow Sea. In this study, we investigated the reproductive characteristics of T. japonicus collected from the Yellow Sea in Korea between February 2020 and January 2021. A total of 356 individuals were examined. The female-to-male ratio was 1:0.32, indicating a predominance of females. Female gonadosomatic index (GSI) values were peaked in August. Histological examination of the gonads indicated that spawning occurred from February to August, with peak spawning in August. The anal length of females at 50% maturity was estimated at 17.9 cm, and the absolute fecundity ranged from 6,378 to 54,878 eggs, increasing with body size. These findings provide updated, region-specific information on the spawning period and size at maturity of T. japonicus. This provides essential baseline data for the management and conservation of this species in the Yellow Sea of Korea.
Reproductive ecology, Largehead hairtail, Trichiurus japonicus, Yellow Sea