Histological Assessment of Seasonal Gonad Maturation of Common Pandora Pagellus Erythrinus From Benghazi Coast, Libya

Abstract

The red coral Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1785) is one of the commercially important fish species in the Libyan fisheries production, from the family of Sparidae, with a wide distribution in the Mediterranean. The study was applied to 225 samples of the red coral Pagellus erythrinus, which were collected monthly from the coast of the city of Benghazi, Libya during the period from December 2011 to November 2012 using a commercial fishing boat. The study aimed to use tissues to describe and classify the stages of maturity, to determine the breeding season of Pagellus erythrinus in the coast of the city of Benghazi, Libya. Depending on the monthly variations of the external appearance and histological description of the maturity of the gonads may Stages -IV, late developing-III, early developing-II, immature-I (maturity was classified into six stages namely mature, V-ovulation and VI-survival stage).  The total length of samples varied between 18 and 32.5 cm. Present results indicated males of common pandora larger than females. Protogynous herma-phroditism (some fish change sex from female to male) characterized the species. The samples were composed of 65% females, 22% males, 13% hermaphrodites (unfunction sex), and small fish (Juveniles) was absent. Sex ratio male to female was1:2.3, females more numerous than males.