Reproduction characteristics of the Vimba vimba persa (Pallas, 1811), in coastal waters of the Caspian Sea Item Type article Authors Chaichi, A.R.; Vosoughi, G.H.; Kaymaram, F.; Jamili, S.; Fazli, H. Download date 28/09/2021 21:28:45 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/37234 Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 10(4) 585-595 2011 ‏Reproduction characteristics of the Vimba vimba persa (Pallas, 1811), in coastal waters of the Caspian Sea Chaichi A. R. 1*; Vosoughi G. h.1; Kaymaram F.2; Jamili S.1,2; Fazli H.3 Received: October 2010 Accepted: March 2011 Abstract Some reproduction characteristics of the Caspian Vimba, Vimba vimba persa, were studied from Oct. 2008 to Sep. 2009 in coastal waters of the Caspian Sea (Mazandaran province). 994 specimens were monthly collected from 6 fish landing sites of Ramsar, Tonekabon, Chalus, Mahmood Abad, Sari and Behshahr. The fecundity was measured using 92 specimens. This species was found to have more abundance in spring (especially April and May). The samples composed of 397(42.6%) male, 537(57.4%) female; the sex ratio was M: F = 1:1.35. The advanced stages of maturity (4th & 5th) were found in April and May. The highest Gonadosomatic Index in females was in May and the lowest one was in July. The average of absolute and relative fecundities was 17198±7710 and 171.85±48.8, respectively. Keywords: Caspian Vimba, Vimba vimba persa, Fecundity, GSI, Sex ratio, Caspian Sea Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 ____________________ 1- Graduate School of Marine Science & Technology, Department of Marine Biology, Science and Research, Islamic Azad University, Tehran- Iran. 2- Iranian Fisheries Research Organization, P.o.Box:14155-6116, Tehran, Iran. 3- Ecologic Research Organization of Caspian Sea, Sari, Iran. *Corresponding author's email: [email protected] 586 Chaichi et al., Reproduction characteristics of the Vimba vimba persa…. Introduction There is a gap in the knowledge of absorption of eggs and sperm (Holčík and population biology, and catch assessment Oláh, 1992). Not much information on the of some species in the Caspian Sea biology of this fish is available in the area. (Karimzadeh et al., 2010). The enclosed The present study has been conducted to Caspian Sea is the world’s largest brackish determine the fecundity, spawning season, water body, comprising nearly 40% of the length of maturity and sex ratio of this fish earth’s continental surface water (Dumont, in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea 1998). The Caspian Sea is the biggest (Mazandaran province). enclosed body of water on Earth, between latitudes 47.07’N and 36.33N and Materials and methods longitudes 45.43 E and 54.20E. Its surface level at the moment is around –26.5 m The biological specimens were randomly below MSL. At this level, its surface area collected by different fishing gears of is 386,400 km2. The water of the Caspian beach seine ( 30 and 33 mm ), gill net (20 Sea is slightly saline; if we compare the and 28 mm) and cast net at six landing sites Caspian water with oceanic water, it of Ramsar,Tonkabon, Chalus, Mahmood contains 3 times less salt (Caspian Sea Abad, Sari and Behshahr, from Oct. 2008 Biodiversity, 2010). to Sep. 2009 (Fig. 1). Fish samples were selected randomly from landing sites. At The Caspian Sea possesses various least 70 specimens were randomly commercially important fish species. collected per month. Then they were Caspian Vimba, Vimba vimba persa transported in iceboxes to the laboratory (Pallas, 1811) locally called "Siah cooli"- is for further biological measurements. one of them. Caspian Vimba catch over the Laboratory works whole Caspian Sea basin was less than 100 The whole wet weight was recorded to 0.01g Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 tons per year in the 1980s (Kuliev, 1988). and their fork length was measured to the In The past five years, the maximum nearest 1mm. The relationship of weight to amount of catch was recorded 474 tons in length was calculated with: 2009-10 and the minimum was 9 tons in 2005 -06 (Iranian Fishery Organization, W = a.Lb 2010). Kiabi et al., 1999 considered this species to be near threatened in the Where W is the total weight (g), L the fork southern Caspian Sea basin according to length (Cm), a is constant and b is slope IUCN criteria. Weirs are a problem for this (Ricker, 1975; Kaymaram et al., 2010). species in the Caspian Sea, as they block the spawning migration, the fish massing below the obstruction, causing re- Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 10(4), 2011 587 Figure 1: Geographical location of sampling sites for Vimba vimba persa (Taken from www.statemaster.com) If the calculated number for "b" does not difference, the below equation was used have a significant difference with 3, the (Pauly, 1984). species has isometric growth. To test this t= [(s.dx) / (s.dy)] × [(│b-3│) / (√ (1-r2))] × [√ (n-2)] s.d(x) = Std. fork length s.d(y) = Std. weight R2 = Coefficient of determination n= sample number The maturity stages of ovaries were also 1 Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 P determined. They were based on seven 1 e(r(LLm)) macroscopic distinguishable stages in Where P is the mature proportion in each ovarian development as defined by size class, r is a parameter controlling the Kesteven (1960) method cited in Biswas shape of the curve, and Lm is the size at (1993). 50% maturity (Saila et al., 1988). The length of the females at first maturity was determined by plotting the Monthly gonad somatic index means (GSI) percent number of matured females (3rd- were calculated for both sexes using the 6th stage) to the total number of fishes following formula (Biswas, 1993) examined in a particular size group GSI = (Gonad weight (g) / Total body (King, 2007). weight (g)) ×100 A logistic function was fitted to the The gonads were removed and weighed proportion of the mature individuals by (0.001g). The spawning time was size class using a non-linear regression. established by plotting of fish by maturity The function used was: 588 Chaichi et al., Reproduction characteristics of the Vimba vimba persa…. stages and gonad-somatic index against the RF = AF/BW sample period (Biswas, 1993). AF: absolute fecundity Samples from the ovary were kept in BW: body weight (g) modified Gilson’s solution (100mL of 60% ethyl alcohol, 880mL of distilled water, Sex ratio was examined using Chi-square 15mL of 80% nitric acid, 18mL of glacial (χ2) goodness of fit tests. Independent tests acetic acid and 20 g of mercuric chloride) were conducted to determine whether sex until oocytes were completely dissociated ratio differed significantly from unity for (Biswas, 1993). the whole sample. The probability level Absolute fecundity (AF) was determined was set at 0.05. by using this formula (Bagenal and Tesch, 1978): AF =OVA×GW; Results A total of 994 specimens were collected OVA: oocyte number per ovary gram (Fig. 2) ranging in size from 95 to 234 mm. GW: gonad weight (g) The mean fork length was measured 168.4 ±26mm, with the highest abundance in Relative fecundity was estimated using the 170-180 mm lengths range. formula (Bagenal and Tesch, 1978): Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 Figure 2: Length frequency of Vimba vimba persa in south of the Caspian Sea (2008-2009) Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences, 10(4), 2011 589 The b parameter value in the length-weight test was used for b parameter correctness relationship model W=0.012 L3.047, evaluation with a comparing to table value. R2=0.955 that are close to 3 for samples, The "b" value indicated no significant indicate isometric growth (Fig. 3). The t- difference (P>0.05). Figure 3: Length-weight relationship of Vimba vimba persa in the Southern Caspian Sea waters (2008-2009) The sample was composed of 397 April to January) (Fig. 4). The sex ratio (42.6%) male, 537 (57.4%) female. in the samples M: F = 1: 1.35 was According to the results, the sex ratio of significantly different (p < 0.05) in the the samples varied throughout the year. overall male to female sex ratio 1:1 (χ2 Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 Less male in comparison with female test). were encountered in the samples (From 100% 80% 60% Female percent 40% 20% Male 0% Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar month Figure 4: Sex ratio percentage of Vimba vimba persa in south of the Caspian Sea (2008-2009) 590 Chaichi et al., Reproduction characteristics of the Vimba vimba persa…. The highest Gonadosomatic Index for gradually decreased in later months, females was found 12.7 in May and reaching its lowest level in July (Fig. 5). Downloaded from jifro.ir at 16:34 +0330 on Monday February 12th 2018 Figure 5: Monthly variation of Gonadosomatic Index for males and females of Vimba vimba persa in south of the Caspian Sea (2008-2009) The highest Gonadosomatic Index for sampled females, which occurred at 170 males was found 5.6 in May and gradually mm (Fig. 6). Regarding fecundity, the decreased in lat er months, reaching its maximum absolute and relative fecundities lowest level, 1.9 in Oct (Fig. 5). This fish were found to be 34636 and 260.9, was considered to be a spring spawner. respectively; the minimum absolute and Having various length groups as relative fecundities were 5400 and 94.5, well as percentage of high stage maturity respectively.