Maturity and reproduction in the Arabian carpet shark, Chiloscyllium arabicum from the Saudi Arabian waters of the Arabian Gulf

ABSTRACT The Arabian carpet shark, Chiloscyllium arabicum is endemic to the Arabian Gulf and the northern Arabian Sea. The aim of this work is to study the reproduction and maturity of this species. A total of 87 males and 139 females, including 19 egg-bearing individuals collected from bottom set longline fisheries in the Saudi Arabian waters of the Arabian Gulf between October 2017 and February 2019, were examined. The size at 50% maturity was estimated as 62.3 and 62.5 cm total length (TL) for males and females, respectively. Changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of males indicated the mating to happen between December and February. The maximum follicle diameter, oviducal gland width and GSI in mature females, suggested the ovulation to extend from September to May with the peak during March–May. Females carried 2–4 egg cases in the uteri, and the egg-laying period was between February and May. The segregation of sexes was observed in the larger (70–80 cm TL) size ranges.