Majallah-i ̒Ilmī-i Shīlāt-i Īrān (Jan 2005)
Spawning season, fecundity and Lm 50% of the Caspian Sea prawn (Palaemon adspersus) in the coastal waters of Guilan Province
Abstract
The spawning season, fecundity and Lm50% of the Caspian Sea prawn (Palaemon adspersus) were investigated in the coastal waters of Guilan province. A monthly sampling was conducted using a bottom trawl with mesh size 3 mm in cod end in areas 0-5 and 5-10 meters deep during the year 2002. Mean total length, carapace length and weight of ovigerous female of Palaemon adspersus were 51.95±3.1 mm, 13.95+1.9mm and 2.742±0.58g (X ± S.D). Minimum and maximum total length of ovigerous specimens were 37 and 59.3mm with a weight 1.002 and 4.145 grams respectively. We found that the spawning season of Palaemon adspersus begins in April and ends in September with a peak in June. Mean fecundity of the species was 1994.5±506.6. The size at which 50% of females are mature was estimated to be 51.27mm total length.
