Growth and reproduction of Chelidonichthys lucerna (Linnaeus) (Pisces: Triglidae) in the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia

Growth and reproduction of Chelidonichthys lucerna is reported from Tunisian waters. A total of 286 specimens was collected from landings of bottom trawlers between January 2003 and November 2004. The total length ranged from 16 to 36 cm in females and from 17 to 26 cm in males. Marginal increment analysis of otoliths showed that the translucent zone was laid from October to May and the opaque zone laid from June to September. Females were from 0.5 to 9 years and males from 1 to 7 years old. Growth parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function were TL? = 40.26; K = 0.06 and t0 = -3.03 in females and TL? = 46.16; K = 0.059 and t0 = -1.32 in males. The coefficient of the allometric length-weight relationships differed significantly by sex. Females with mature gonads were observed between October and May, with peaks in January and February. Length at which 50% of specimens were mature was 21.6 cm TL (estimated age about 3 years) in females and 19.2 cm TL (estimated age about 1.5 years) in males.