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The study of intra-specific growth variability of Illex argentinus (Cephalopoda: Teuthida) in Brazilian waters as reconstructed from the gladius microstructure

2010; Elsevier BV; Volume: 106; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.fishres.2010.05.008

1872-6763

Rafael Schroeder, José Ángel Álvarez Pérez,

Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies

Intra-specific growth variability of the gladius of Illex argentinus was analyzed based on 870 specimens collected off Brazil from 2001 to 2002, and divided into two depth groups (shelf break and slope spawners) between 23–32°S and depths of 45–722 m. Squid samples included adult individuals caught throughout the year and were pooled by sex and season (spring, summer, autumn and winter spawners). Growth increments measured directly on the gladius plate were smoothed by a low-pass filter and used to reconstruct size-specific growth trajectories for males and females separately. The reconstructed trajectories of the proposed spawning groups were found to be significantly different. Squid captured during the winter exhibited faster growth followed by summer, spring and autumn spawners. During winter, shelf-break spawners presented lower growth rates when compared to slope spawners. Seasonal and bathymetric growth variability was discussed in the light of biological production patterns off southeastern and southern Brazilian coast. Higher growth rates observed in the trajectories reconstructed for winter spawners could not be supported by these local patterns and it is suggested that they reflect an early-life in more productive areas, such as the Patagonian shelf.