Nurenskaya Vélez-Arellano; Federico Andrés García-Domínguez; Daniel B. Lluch-Cota; José L. Gutiérrez-González & Rebeca Sánchez-Cárdenas

Summary

Identifying the maturity stage of specimens is essential for the determination of the spawning season, which in turn facilitates the formulation of adequate fisheries management measures for the sustainable use of sea resources, such as abalone. This study aims to validate, based on histological evidence, a gonad maturation scale that encompasses four morphochromatically-defined stages (developing, maturity, spawning and resting) for females and males, plus an additional stage for reproductively inactive (undifferentiated) specimens, to be used as an identification key. Given the similarity between Haliotis fulgens and Haliotis corrugata as to their morphochromatic features, the gonadal maturation scale can be used for both species.

KEY WORDS: Assessment tools; Gametogenesis; Gonads; Reproduction.

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