Abstract
Shipboard artificial fertilization experiments were carried out during November 1997 using four mature and mated females of Dosidicus gigas (320-407mm in mantle length) from Peruvian waters. A total of 167 hatchlings were obtained from about 3600 eggs which were kept at 18°C. Oviducal gland powder from the closely related species, Ommastrephes bartramii, was effective in expansion of chorion, which is essential for normal embryonic development. Hatching occurred 6-9 days after fertilization. Paralarvae survived up to 10 days after hatching without feeding. Mantle length was 0.9-1.3mm (mean 1.1mm) at hatching and increased to 1.1-1.5mm (mean 1.4mm) on the 7th day after hatching. Proboscis suckers were equal in size. Length of long axis of the statolith increased from ca. 40μm at hatching to ca. 60μm on the 4th day after hatching and remained around 63-67μm until the 10th day. Daily increments were indistinct in the statoliths.
