Reproductive biology of big-eye grunt Brachydeuterus Auritus in Ivory coast fishery (West Africa)

Abstract

Reproductive biology of Big-eye grunt, Brachydeuterus auritus resulting from Ivory Coast marine fishery were studied by monthly sampling from August 2013 to July 2014. Samplings were carried out along the Ivorian littoral. A total of 731 fish with a body length of 8.0 to 22.7 cm folk length (LF) and body weight of 9.2 to 204.6 g were used for this study. According this study, the sex ratio was 1:0.82 (male to female). The sex ratio was significantly different from the expected theoretically 1: 1 distribution except June, September and December. Monthly gonadosomatic index and macroscopically determined gonad stages indicated that B. auritus spawned from February to July with a greater activity from February to May. The condition factor indicated that B. auritus were in good condition, females had higher condition factor than the males. Lengths at 50% maturity were similar with 12.93 cm LF for males and 12.71 cm LF for females. The coefficient b (3.02; 3.07 and 3.04 respectively for males, females and both sexes) of the length-weight relationship was reflecting isometry.