Biological Characteristics of Dendrochirus zebra (Cuvier, 1829) (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from Nha Trang Bay, South China Sea

Abstract

The biological characteristics of the zebra turkeyfish Dendrochirus zebra (Cuvier, 1829) from Nha Trang Bay, South China Sea, including the total length (TL) to body weight (W) relationship, body size at first sexual maturity, otolith growth, gonad structure, and ultrastructure of the envelopes of ovulated oocytes, were studied. The TL–W relationship is different in the males and females, which is connected with their different growth rates. The largest fish are mostly males. The females differ from males in three from six otolith (sagitta) shape indices and in otolith contours described based on elliptic Fourier analysis. Mature spermatozoa are observed in spermiducts of males larger than 106 mm TL, and 50% of the females reach sexual maturity by 113 mm TL. A positive allometry was found between linear growth of the urinary bladder and body length of the males. The envelope of an ovulated oocyte consists of a three-layered zona radiatа 0.6–0.9 μm in width and a weakly expressed chorion approximately 0.2 μm in width. The features of D. zebra biology are discussed based on the published data for other representatives of the suborder Scorpaenoidei and subfamily Pteroinae.