Ovidius University Annals of Biology-Ecology Volume 13, Number 1,

November 2009

FECUNDITY AND PROLIFICITY OF SOME LARGE GOBIES SPECIES

FROM ROMANIAN COASTAL WATERS
Ana-Maria MIHALCESCU*

* Universitatea Ovidius Constana, Facultatea de tiine ale Naturii i tiine Agricole

B-dul Mamaia, nr. 124, Constana, 900527, Romnia, amihalcescu@hotmail.coml
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Abstract: In this workpaper weve determined the fecundity and prolificity of four species of gobies (Apollonia
melanostomus, Neogobius fluviatilis, Ponticola cephalargoides and Mesogobius batrachocephalus) from
paramarine lakes and low depth marine waters. The result, different from literature data consulted, can be used in
estimating the actual populations status and the future of gobies stock.

Keywords: gobies, prolificity, gonadosomathic index, fecundity coefficient;

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1. Introduction reproduction at age of 2 (Ulvan, 1970 in Miller

Except some species from tropical water, the
most gobies are gonocore. Both testis and ovaries
have a typical teleost fish structure. The testis has
seminifer compact lobes rich in interstitial tissue on
the base of each of them. A characteristic is the
presence of an additional glandular mass of cells
which produce a viscous substance in sperm ducts.
Because is not an evidence that sperm ducts
glands have real seminal vesicles to stock the sperm,
it figure that testis are the deposits for gametes, and
spermatic glands collect substance used in marking
and preparing the nest.
Both males and females have an erectile
urogenital papilla, placed between anus and the anal
fin origin. The shape of this papilla is tapered at male
and short or sometimes excavate at female.
Males become sexually mature later than
females, in accordance with internal or external
factors (hormones, temperature, salinity etc.). For
example, females of Apollonia melanostomus are
sexually mature at age of 2-3 years and they spawn
more than once in a lifetime. The males of round
goby spawn only once at age of 3-4 years. At
Mesogobius batrachocephalus both males and
females are mature at 3 years old, even if there are
been reported a few specimens which are capable of
2004).
As a rule, the gobies are reproducing in spring or
summer. Some species, like Mesogobius
batrachocephalus is reproducing from February to
May. The males mark and guard their territory where
guide their females after a nuptial parade. In
paramarine Romanian waters, the gobies gather in
small compact areas to have more chance to meet the
partner.
During the nuptial parade males make sounds to
attract females. The frequency and intensity of these
sounds increase as much as closer female are.
Sometimes these sounds are signals of male
dominancy (Lugly et al in Miller, 1996).
The eggs are spawned during entire period of
mate, and the eggs numbers varies from one species
to another. For example, a Zosterisessor
ophiocephalus female may spawn at age of 2-3 year
10000-45000 eggs with 2.6x0.8 mm diameter. Other
species may spawn a smaller number of big eggs
because of lack of necessary resources for offspring
or because of harsh natural life conditions (Miller,
1986).
The prolificity depends on species and on
ecological connection with other species from the
same biocenosis (food and the capacity to use it or
predators of eggs or early stages).

ISSN-1453-1267 200 9 Ovidius University Press

2 Title of paper / Ovidius University Annals of Biology-Ecology, 13, 1, 2009
The fecundity for same length of body differs
from one species to another. Thus, Benthophilus
stellatus female of about 5.5-8.5 cm length spawns
700-2500 eggs, while Pomatoschistus minutus female
of 5.4-6 cm length spawns up to 3000 eggs (Miller,
1986).
Eggs are fixed on stones, aquatic plants or shells,
and they are guarded by adults.
2. Material and Methods
We study the most economically important four
specie of gobies: Apollonia melanostomus,
Neogobius fluviatilis, Ponticola cephalargoides and
Mesogobius batrachocephalus.
Samples have been collected from 1996 to 2004,
by purse-seining, angling, longlining or other fishing
tools with bait hooks, using nets with a mesh
diameter around 4 mm or by diving up to 5m depth
from Romanian coastal waters of Black Sea and from
paramarine lakes (Danube Delta complex, including
Sinoe and Razim lakes, Siutghiol, Tasaul, Neptune
lakes) as we figured below (fig. 1).
In order to determine the females prolificity in
mating season, we prelevate the gonads and estimate
the number of eggs after three repeating weighting of
a 20-30 eggs sample and the whole gonad (Voican et
al, 1975):
Total number of eggs = gonad weight x samples
eggs number/sample weight
Knowing the gonad weight and the total body
weight, we calculated the gonadosomathic index,
noted with GI, and fecundity coefficient, noted FC
coefficient (Behming formula).
GI = gonad weight x 100/body weight
FC = standard length x body weight/total number of
eggs
3. Results and Discussions
As we already said, the eggs number of
paramarine Romanian waters gobies vary with
species, the length of body (fig. 2-5), the eggs
dimensions and season (table 3). For example, the
number of eggs varies between 306 and 6048 for
marine specimens (Constanta) and between 377 and
5633 for freshwater specimens (table 1-3). Because
the dimensions of eggs are similar, the difference in
number of eggs is a result of difference in fishs body
length: the specimens from marine waters are slightly
bigger than freshwater fishes
.
Table 1. Number of eggs to Apollonia melanostomus

Month Body Marine waters Lakes

length min max Ave- min max Ave-
(mm) rage rage
VI 625 4821 2590 495 5633 2236
VII 708 6048 3256 532 4980 2985
15 IX 306 3763 1910 377 2811 1731
VII 76-85 708 4021 2165 532 3006 1894
116-125 1491 6048 4088 934 4763 3430
IX 76-85 306 2457 1791 377 2019 1325
116-125 823 3763 1972 562 2811 1902
Fig. 1 Map of station .1. Roule; 2. Puiule, 3. Puiu,
4. Sulina; 5. Razelm; 6. Sarichioi; 7. Cap Doloman; The maximum values obtained for marine
8. Sinoe; 9. Taaul; 10. Siutghiol; 11. Perla; 12. Port populations are greater than those listed in literature
Tomis; 13. Eforie Sud; 14. Mangalia; 15. Vama data (a maximum of 4979 eggs per ovary) (Kotvun
Veche in Miller, 2004). This can be explained by the
dimensions of eggs which are smaller (1.6-1.8 mm
The samples have been preserved in against 2-2.9 mm).
formaldehyde 4%, then transferred in alcohol.
 Name of author(s)/ Ovidius University Annals of Biology-Ecology 13, 1, 2009 3

Fig. 4. Variation of eggs number function of body

Fig. 2. Variation in time of eggs number function of length ranges at Neogobius fluviatilis and Ponticola
body length at Apollonia melanostomus females from cephalargoides females
lakes

Fig. 5. Variation of average eggs number function of

Fig. 3. Variation in time of eggs number function of body length ranges at Mesogobius batrachocephalus
body length at Apollonia melanostomus females from females
marine waters
Table 2. Number of eggs of N. fluviatilis, P.
As a general rule, we can say that, regardless of cephalargoides and M. batrachocephalus
season, the bigger is body weight the greater eggs
number is. On the other hand, the number of eggs is Species Lake/ Eggs number
greater in the middle of spawning season than in month Average (min-max)
September. Neogobius Taaul 1365 (532-2698)
Regarding to Neogobius fluviatilis, the maximum fluviatilis Siutghiol 1401 (489-3211)
number of eggs is counting for freshwater Razim 1967 (446-3867)
populations from Razim, where the specimens are Ponticola VI 612 (325-1203)
bigger than those from Tasaul or Siutghiol lakes cephalargoides IX 934 (462-1856)
(table 2). Mesogobius VI 1346 (798-1964)
batrachocephalus IX 3150 (1021-5582)

For Ponticola cephalargoides and Mesogobius

batrachocephalus the maximum number of eggs was
encountered in September, when is the beginning of
4 Title of paper / Ovidius University Annals of Biology-Ecology, 13, 1, 2009
second spawning period (table 2). Nevertheless, we The study hint of the most four economicaly
can underline that in June, the number of eggs for important species from Romanian coastal waters:
these two species is smaller than those from literature Apollonia melanostomus, Neogobius fluviatilis,
data, maybe because the adults have already finished Ponticola cephalargoides and Mesogobius
the first spawning period from a couple of months. In batrachocephalus.
this period, they try to feed and renew the stock of The analysis of gonads enabled to determine
sexual elements which will guarantee the future gonadosomathic index and fecundity coefficient
reproductive success. which are high at A. melanostomus and Neogobius
fluviatilis because of wide ecological valence of
Table 3. The average number of eggs number, round goby and the large period of spawning
gonadosomathic index and fecundity coefficient at A. characteristic to monkey goby.
melanostomus, N. fluviatilis, P. cephalargoides and Because the most of samples were prelevated
M. batrachocephalus during the nourishing period of Mesogobius
batrachocephalus and Ponticola cephalargoides,
Species Eggs GI FC gonadosomathic index and fecundity coefficient
number have minimum values.
Apollonia Lakes 1983 11.3 2.015 In the absence of a new factor of stress which could
melanostomus Sea 2250 11.8 disturbe the gobies population balance, their
Neogobius Lakes 1564 6.938 1.507 prolificity and fecundity guarantee the persistence
fluviatilis in time and space in Romanian coastal waters.
Ponticola Sea 773 2.503 0.705
cephalargoides 5. References
Mesogobius Sea 2248 3.973 0.972
batrachocephalus [1] Miller, P.J., 1986 - Gobiidae in Fishes of the
North-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean,
The GI and FC have maximum values at P.J.P. Whitehead, M-L. Bauchot, J-C Hureau,
Apollonia melanostomus (Table 3). The explanation J.Nielsen&Tortonese E. (ed.), UNESCO, Paris:
can be that Appolonia melanostomus, the most 1019-1085
common species in Romanian paramarine waters, is a [2] Miller, P.J., 1996 The functional ecology of
eurybiotic species. This confer it an almost small fish: some opportunities and
ubiquitous character in costal acvatories, consequences, Symp. Zool. Soc.Lond, no. 69:
concomitantly increasing the risks of surviving. Some 175-199
compensatory mechanisms are set going to a great [3] Miller, P.J., 2004 Fam Gobiidae in The
prolificity and repeating spawning which will Freshwater Fishes of Europe, Vol. 8, I Aula-Verlag:
guarantee the persistence of this species in time in 157-404
space. [4] Miller, P.J., 2004 Fam Gobiidae in The
For Neogobius fluviatilis the high values of FC Freshwater Fishes of Europe, Vol. 8, II Aula-Verlag,
are due to the fact that this species has the longest 478 pp
mate period and most samples have been collected in [5] Voican, V., Radulescu, I., Lustun, L., 1975
the spawning time. Practica selectiei si reproducerii la pesti, Ed.
Based on the results of this study we can Ceres, Bucuresti
concluded that, even for a short period of time (at
least 2 years) the population of these four species are
not in danger. In absence of a new agressive factor of
disturbance, their prolificity and fecundity guarantee
their persistence in time and space.

4. Conclusions