Lunar-related maturation and spawning migration in the honeycomb grouper, Epinephelus merra

抄録

To better understand the eco-physiological characteristics of reproduction in the coral reef small honeycomb grouper, Epinephelus merra, we investigated their spawning migration using biotelemetry, in addition to reproductive physiology analysis. Histological observations indicated that final ovarian maturation was not completed in honeycomb grouper collected from the coral reef pond (CRP), even during their spawning season. Additionally, our visual observations revealed that fish numbers decreased in the CRP after a full moon, which is thought to be their spawning time, suggesting their spawning migration. Next, we investigated the migration of honeycomb grouper during their spawning season using biotelemetry. Our investigations indicated that honeycomb grouper migrated from the inside of the CRP to the outside after a full moon, and then back to the inside again a few days later. These results strongly suggested that honeycomb grouper migrate to spawning sites located outside of the CRP, attain final ovarian maturation, and spawn after a full moon in the spawning season.