| Main Ref. | Bauchot, M.-L., 1987 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | external |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | one clear seasonal peak per year |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Yes. Ref. Wassef, E. and H. El Emary, 1989 |
| Reproductive guild |
nonguarders open water/substratum egg scatterers |
| Parental Care | none |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | Spawn in groups. Eggs are pelagic. In the Mediterranean, first sexual maturity occurs generally between 2 and 4 years of age while in the Atlantic sexual maturity happens a little later (males between 4-7 years and females between 5-8 years). Spawning happens just once a year and it tends to be in winter, although in southern areas it can occur in spring. Eggs have 1-2 fat drops that fuse about 12 hours after laying. Embryo development lasts about three days at 13-14°C and larval development about 40 days at 19°C. Egg size 1.1-1.5 mm, larval length at hatching 3 mm. |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |