Vlasta Bartulović

Reproductive cycles of Mugil cephalus, Liza ramada and Liza aurata (Teleostei: Mugilidae).

The reproductive cycles of three mullet species from the Eastern Adriatic coast were described using several biological parameters (gonado-somatic index, oocyte diameter and sex ratio) to improve knowledge about their reproduction.

Diet and diel feeding activity of juvenile pompano ( Trachinotus ovatus ) (Teleostei: Carangidae) from the southern Adriatic, Croatia

Food and feeding activity of juvenile pompano Trachinotus ovatus collected in the summer-autumn in 2003 in coastal shallow water bays in the southeastern Adriatic were examined. Juvenile pompano were exclusively daytime feeders and feeds in whole water column, from surface to bottom taking not only plankton, but benthic and terrestrial species as well. Of eighteen prey taxa identified, crustaceans, particularly copepods, were the major group, followed by benthic foraminiferans and insects. Feeding on benthic species is reported for the first time in this study.

Population Dynamics and Reproduction of Mediterranean Green Crab Carcinus aestuarii in Parila Lagoon (Neretva Estuary, Adriatic Sea, Croatia) as Fishery Management Tools

AbstractPopulation structure, age, growth, mortality, and reproduction patterns of the Mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii were determined for the native population in Parila Lagoon (Neretva Estuary, Middle Adriatic, Croatia). The population size structure showed two distinct cohorts: (1) specimens with a carapace width of 20–34 mm and dominated by females and (2) large-sized specimens with a carapace width > 34 mm with males significantly dominating and no females found above 46 mm. Males appeared to grow faster than females in the first and second year of the life cycle. Most of the natural mortality (70.4%) occurred during the first year of life. This indicates high predation pressure from fish and other crab species on small-sized (less than 25 mm) C. aestuarii cohorts. The peak of ovigerous female occurrence occurred in January 2015. A very small percentage of ovigerous females appeared in June 2015. The 50% ovigerous size for the population was estimated at a carapace width of 29.65 mm and w...

Undergoing invasion of the fangtooth moray, Enchelycore anatina (Lowe, 1838) in the Adriatic Sea – evidence of post spawning reproduction stage.

The tropical Atlantic fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina (Lowe, 1838) (Muraenidae) has naturally extended its range into the Mediterranean in the last decades. The record of a third specimen of the fangtooth moray, in the coastal waters of southeast Adriatic Sea, results in listing the species as established in the Adriatic Sea. The caught specimen was male with gonads in post spawning stage, indicating successful maturation and possible reproduction of the species in these waters.

Sex ratio of Phoxinellus pseudalepidotus Bogutskaya & Zupančić 2003 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), from Mostarsko blato area

Prikanac, Phoxinellus pseudalepidotus Bogutskaya and Zupancic 2003 (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), is an endemic species that inhabits Mostarsko blato, and is found in the wider Neretva river basin. In the early literature Prikanac was identified as Phoxinellus alepidotus which is morphologically quite similar. The objective of the study was to examine the annual and monthly sex ratio of the species in the area of Mostarsko blato. Specimens were collected monthly over the course of one year (2009). The results show that the total annual sex ratio population of Prikanac in Mostarsko blato area was 1: 1.185 in favour to females. Males are represented with a share of 45.75% and 54.25% females. The overall difference between the sexes is not statistically significant (chi-square test). However, during the year the sex ratio showed considerable variability. A significant different sex ratio from the annual was found in January, February, March and April in which females dominated. In May and September male statistically dominated the population.