Reproduction Biology of Mastacembelus simack (Walbaum, 1792) inhabiting Karakaya Dam Lake (Malatya, Turkey)

Abstract

In this study, the sexual maturity, spawning season and fecundity of Mastacembelus simack (Walbaum, 1792) inhabiting Karakaya Dam Lake, Malatya were determined between February 2002 and January 2003. It has been found that males reached the first sexual maturity in II. age groups, whereas female reached in I. age groups and thus their spawning period was in June – July. The correlation coofficents between egg numbers and body weight (r = 0.78), egg numbers and body length (r = 0.83). Egg diameters ranged between 0.22 and 2.10 mm with 1.05±0.09 average.