Reproductive Biology and Histology of Male Brushtooth Lizardfish Saurida undosquamis (Richardson), Family: Synodontidae, From The Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Reproductive Biology and Histology of Male Brushtooth Lizardfish
Saurida undosquamis (Richardson), Family: Synodontidae,
From The Mediterranean Coast of Egypt
ZIENAB ABDEL-BAKI EL-GREISY
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt
Key words: Synodontidea, Saurida undosquamis, Brushtooth lizardfish, Reproductive biology,
Histology, Testes, Reproduction.
ABSTRACT
The present study indicates that male Saurida undosquamis fish in the Egyptian
Mediterranean Coast at Alexandria reached the first sexual maturity at a total length of 17
cm with a range of total length from 15 cm to 19 cm. The fish were divided into seven
stages according to the maturity of the testes. Demonstration of the monthly distribution of
these maturity stages indicated that this species has a long spawning season extending from
late May to early March. The peak of the spawning activity extended from August to
December. Monthly distribution of gonadosomatic index showed the highest value in May
and June. Then decreased slightly in the following months. This slight decrease comes
concomitant with the long spawning season and fractional spawning character.