Fecundity of the northern puffer,Sphoeroides maculatus, from Chesapeake Bay

Abstract

Fecundity data for 24 northern puffer from the lower Chesapeake Bay indicate production of up to 0.5 million eggs by 300 mm TL fish. The left ovary averaged 1.6X larger than the right. Despite the physical difference in ovary size, eggs from Gilson’s solution treated ovaries were of equivalent size in both left and right ovaries. Fecundity versus total body length and body weight are presented.