| Main Ref. | Compagno, L.J.V., 1984 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | internal (oviduct) |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Ref. |
| Reproductive guild |
nonguarders open water/substratum egg scatterers |
| Parental Care | none |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | Oviparous, laying paired eggs (one per oviduct) in shallow subtidal areas, although some egg cases have been found in the deeper part of intertidal zones (Ref. 244). Embryos feed solely on yolk (Ref. 50449). The egg cases are anchored to macroalgae, sea grass or sessile erect invertebrates such as poriferans, bryozoans and hydroids (Ref. 32804, 58137). The capsules have tendrils at each corner used for anchorage purposes. Egg capsule size varies according to locality and female size (Ref. 244) and ranges between 4.9-7.0 cm length and 1.5-3.0 cm width (Ref. 88837). Egg cases may be deposited throughout the year, peaking in June and July (Ref. 32804). Recent studies estimate fecundity of females from the northeast Atlantic to be at around 29-62 pups (Ref. 32804). Fully formed pups hatch after 5-11 months, depending on water temperature (Ref. 244, 32804). Newly hatched pups are about 8-10 cm in length (Ref. 78469). |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |