Fecundity

El significado profundo de la fecundidad no se agota en la fertilidad. Ser hombre y mujer fecundos tiene que ver más con nuestro origen, el amor de Dios, y con nuestra propia naturaleza: estamos llamados a amar. Desde esta perspectiva Familiaris consortio, y después de treinta años, resulta ser un documento profético no solo para aquellos que han descubierto su vocación al matrimonio y a la familia, sino también para aquellos que han entregado su vida a los demás, a través de Dios, con el don de la virginidad. A través de una antropología adecuada podemos descubrir el fundamento de la fecundidad en la dinámica del don de uno mismo a los demás. La familia es el lugar privilegiado para vivir una doble generación, a través del don de la vida y de la educación de los hijos, y esta fecundidad se abre a la sociedad a través de la ayuda a los más necesitados. En conclusión, creemos que es importante promover dentro de la familia una verdadera educación al amor y a la fecundidad, en sus significados más profundos.

SuxHoEo M. V. K. 1991. The relationship between intestinal location and fecundity in adult Trichinella spiralis. International Journalfor Parasitology 21: 855-858. Adult female worms recovered from the jejunum of rats infected per OS with 1000 larvae of Trichinelia spiralis were significantly more fecund ('peak jejunal fecundity = 35.7 f 3.1 newborn larvae per female) than females recovered from the terminal ileum (9.3 f 4.1 larvae per female) in the same infections. The majority of the adult worms were established in those sections of the small intestines that produced the most fecund females (r = 0.92; P < 0.05). Worm fecundity is believed to be location-specific because adult females that were surgically implanted into the jejunum were significantly more fecund than females that were implanted into only the ileum. It is concluded that the physico-chemical conditions of the anterior small intestines are optimal for the parasites' reproductive fitness and this exerts a strong selective pressure on habitat selection behavior.

We have tested the use of the free-living nematode Oncholaimus campylocercoides as a bioindicator of petroleum pollution. This was analysed using a polluted-reference sampling strategy for one year in Bizerte bay (Tunisia). We noted a decrease in body dimensions together with many biometric anomalies when organisms are exposed to petroleum compounds. The three first moults and the egg-production phase of specimens of O. campylocercoides from the polluted site TRIC (Tunisian Refining Industries Company) took longer. The egg volume was negatively affected by pollution and the development from egg to juveniles J1 in one side and from juveniles J4 to males from TRIC beach on another side seems to be faster. Our results demonstrated that biometry, life cycle and fecundity are useful indices to biomonitor hydrocarbon pollution in marine ecosystems. Juveniles of the second and third stage and gravid females of O. campylocercoides seem to be the most appropriate bioindicators.

Traditional sensitivity and elasticity analyses of matrix population models have been used to inform management decisions, but they ignore the economic costs of manipulating vital rates. For example, the growth rate of a population is often most sensitive to changes in adult survival rate, but this does not mean that increasing that rate is the best option for managing the population because it may be much more expensive than other options. To explore how managers should optimize their manipulation of vital rates, we incorporated the cost of changing those rates into matrix population models. We derived analytic expressions for locations in parameter space where managers should shift between management of fecundity and survival, for the balance between fecundity and survival management at those boundaries, and for the allocation of management resources to sustain that optimal balance. For simple matrices, the optimal budget allocation can often be expressed as simple functions of vital rates and the relative costs of changing them. We applied our method to management of the Helmeted Honeyeater (Lichenostomus melanops cassidix; an endangered Australian bird) and the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) as examples. Our method showed that cost-efficient management of the Helmeted Honeyeater should focus on increasing fecundity via nest protection, whereas optimal koala management should focus on manipulating both fecundity and survival simultaneously. These findings are contrary to the cost-negligent recommendations of elasticity analysis, which would suggest focusing on managing survival in both cases. A further investigation of Helmeted Honeyeater management options, based on an individual-based model incorporating density dependence, spatial structure, and environmental stochasticity, confirmed that fecundity management was the most cost-effective strategy. Our results demonstrate that decisions that ignore economic factors will reduce management efficiency.

An accurate understanding of factors influencing survival and how they affect population growth are required to determine the best conservation strategies for small populations, especially near the limit of a species' range. We estimated adult and juvenile survival for a small population of the threatened western snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) in coastal northern California over 7 years (2001-2007). We also evaluated population structure and growth to determine the relative importance of immigration and local recruitment. Apparent survival for adult males (w 5 0.61 6 0.08) was greater than that of adult females (w 5 0.50 6 0.11), and survival of adults was greater than for juveniles (w 5 0.40 6 0.06). An algebraic assessment of population growth (l) revealed that fecundity and survival were insufficient to maintain the population (l 5 0.66-0.77), whereas estimates based on consecutive annual counts (l 5 0.96 6 0.26) and a Pradel model (l 5 0.92 6 0.11) suggested the population was more stable. These results, combined with annual variation in the number of newly marked plovers, indicate that the local population was maintained by immigration and can be classified as a sink. Management actions aimed at increasing fecundity, including predator control and greater restrictions on human activity, may be necessary to maintain this population; actions aimed at increasing adult survival are more challenging.

Head lettuce field plantings were artificially infested with apterous adults of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). Significantly greater aphid fecundity was demonstrated on plants grown through aluminum-coated construction paper than on plants grown on bare soil. Higher temperatures and host-plant physiology were factors modified by the mulch, and could have resulted in larger aphid populations on plants grown over a reflective surface as the season progressed. Faster plant growth and a significantly larger yield per head of lettuce also resulted from the use of the aluminum mulch. The incidence of a leafhopper-borne plant disease, aster yellows, was significantly reduced on head lettuce in the aluminum mulch plots.

Liriomyza sativae is a polyphagous agromyzid leafminer and it has invaded large part of world, i.e Hemiptarsenus varicornis, Gronotoma micromorpha, and Opius dissitus. This research were conducted to investigate progeny, immature development period, longevity of female parasitoids of L. sativae, and to study female parasitoid behaviour in host finding. Host finding behaviour was observed by examining their visit frequency to the leaves that mined by leafminer larvae and healthy leaves. Results showed that H. varicornis produced more progenies (10.70 + 2.58 progenies/female), but not significantly different (P < 0.05) from progenies produced by G. micromorpha (9.90 + 3.81 progenies/female) and O. dissitus (9.60 + 3.31 progenies/female). The immature development period of G. micromorpha (25.65 + 0.38 days) was found to be longer than H. varicornis (16.14 ± 1.20 days) and O. dissitus (14.03 + 0.22 days). Significant different (P = 0.1014) of adult longevity was not found among H. varicornis , and O. dissitus (8.74 + 2.18 days). Our analyses also indicated that G. micromorpha and O. dissitus found their hosts based on the larvae mining, however, H. varicornis performed it randomly. Based on the number of progeny and longevity of adult female, all parasitoids tested may have a potential as biological control agents of leafminer, L. sativae.

The most efficient way to reduce future damages from nonindigenous species is to prevent the introduction of harmful species. Although ecologists have long sought to predict the identity of such species, recent methodological advances promise success where previous attempts failed. We applied recently developed risk assessment approaches to nonindigenous freshwater molluscs at two geographic scales: the Laurentian Great Lakes basin and the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We used data on natural history and biogeography to discriminate between established freshwater molluscs that are benign and those that constitute nuisances (i.e., cause environmental and/or economic damage). Two statistical techniques, logistic regression and categorical tree analysis, showed that nuisance status was positively associated with fecundity. Other aspects of natural history and biogeography did not significantly affect likelihood of becoming a nuisance. We then used the derived statistical models to predict the chance that 15 mollusc species not yet in natural ecosystems would cause damage if they become established. We also tested whether time since establishment is related to the likelihood that nonindigenous mollusc species in the Great Lakes and United States would cause negative impacts. No significant relationship was evident at the U.S. scale, but recently established molluscs within the Great Lakes were more likely to cause negative impacts. This may reflect changing environmental conditions, changing patterns of trade, or may be an indication of "invasional meltdown." Our quantitative analyses could be extended to other taxa and ecosystems and offer a number of improvements over the qualitative risk assessments currently used by U.S. (and other) government agencies.

Local adaptation in response to fine-scale spatial heterogeneity is well documented in terrestrial ecosystems. In contrast, in marine environments local adaptation has rarely been documented or rigorously explored. This may reflect real or anticipated effects of genetic homogenization, resulting from widespread dispersal in the sea. However, evolutionary theory predicts that for the many benthic species with complex life histories that include both sexual and asexual phases, each parental habitat patch should become dominated by the fittest and most competitive clones. In this study we used genotypic mapping to show that within headlands, clones of the sea anemone Actinia tenebrosa show restricted distributions to specific habitats despite the potential for more widespread dispersal. On these same shores we used reciprocal transplant experiments that revealed strikingly better performance of clones within their natal rather than foreign habitats as judged by survivorship, asexual fecundity, and growth. These findings highlight the importance of selection for fine-scale environmental adaptation in marine taxa and imply that the genotypic structure of populations reflects extensive periods of interclonal competition and site-specific selection.

To evaluate the effect of men's age on time to pregnancy (TTP) using age at the onset of pregnancy attempts, adjusting for the confounding effects of women's age, coital frequency, and life-style characteristics. Design: Observational study. Setting: Teaching hospital in Hull, United Kingdom. Patient(s): Two thousand one hundred twelve consecutive pregnant women.

The currant shoot borer, Lampronia capitella (Lep., Prodoxidae), is an important pest of currants, Ribes spp., in northern Europe. Oviposition was studied in cage experiments and the flight period was monitored in field studies using pheromone-baited traps. Blackcurrant, Ribes nigrum, was the host species in both studies. The total egg supply of females was on average 107 eggs and oviposition started 2-5 days after emergence. About 60% of the eggs were laid during the first day of the oviposition period. Eggs were laid in currant fruitlets, in batches comprising several, usually four to seven eggs. The flight period started shortly after the end of the flowering period of blackcurrant, and lasted for about 3 weeks.

Childlessness is an issue of deep religious concern in Africa. Men, women and couples with problems of sexuality and childlessness make use not only of the resources of traditional African religions but also of the many Pentecostal/charismatic churches and movements that have burgeoned throughout sub-Saharan Africa in the last three decades. Initially this was the domain of the older African independent churches, as far as the Christian response to childlessness is concerned; the new Pentecostals have taken on the challenge too. Based on the same biblical and traditional worldviews that events have causes, these churches have mounted ritual contexts that wrestle with the issues of sexuality and childlessness. In pursuing this salvific endeavor, however, the needs of those who may never have children seem to have been neglected by the churches considered here and represented by the Pure Fire Miracle Ministries, a Ghana/Nigeria charismatic church located in Ghana. Th is partial approach to 'healing' childlessness has led to onesided interpretations of what it means to be fruitful and prosperous and deepened the troubles of the childless.

Larvae reared at low temperatures produce larger pupae and adults than those reared at high temperatures, and pupal weight is linearly related to lifetime egg production; mean egg production in a group reared at 29-3l0C may be twice that of another reared at 17.5-19OC. The number of eggs visible with a dissecting microscope in the ovaries of young females is not proportional to their lifetime production. Once size is taken into account, there is no additional effect of temperature or larval diet on total egg production. The timing of egg production throughout an adult's life is unaffected by its size or by the conditions in which it was reared. but there are marked differences between Australian and Canadian (Vancouver) individuals. The size of eggs is inversely correlated with both the age and the size of the mother. In any particular set of rearing conditions, males tend to be larger than females, and the sexes show an equal and high degree of variation in size.

We assessed the breeding success of red-billed tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus) at Pilot Hill on St. Eustatius, particularly in relation to predation at the nest. We conducted weekly surveys during 2014-2015 and measured chick and adult morphometrics. Apparent hatching success was 57% and apparent fledging success was 73.7%, with reproductive success 37.8%. Camera traps installed in nesting cavities documented rats opportunistically scavenging eggs left unattended for even short periods of time. In total we confirmed nine predation events by rats at eight individual nesting cavities. Given the importance of St. Eustatius as a nesting site for red-billed tropicbirds, the implementation of a rodent control program is urgently required for the coming season.

In many cultured fish species, particularly in those new for aquaculture, unpredictable and variable reproductive performance is an important limiting factor for the successful mass production of juveniles. An improvement in broodstock nutrition and feeding has been shown to greatly improve not only egg and sperm quality but also seed production. Gonadal development and fecundity are affected by certain essential dietary nutrients, especially in continuous spawners with short vitellogenic periods. Thus, during the last two decades, more attention has been paid to the level of different nutrients in broodstock diets. However, studies on broodstock nutrition are limited and relatively expensive to conduct.

This study used experiments at several spatial scales to determine whether (1) intraspecific competition occurs among larvae of the leafmining sawfly Profenusa thomsoni (Konow) (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) on birch (Betula spp.), (2) oviposition site preferences of P. thomsoni maximize offspring performance, and (3) early-season damage by external folivores or the leafminer Fenusa pumila Leach (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae) affects oviposition preferences or larval performance of P. thomsoni.Larval P. thomsoni competed at natural densities; survival and weight of larvae were reduced under crowded conditions. Despite this, females of P. thomsoni tended to lay eggs on leaves already bearing eggs from other females and discriminated only weakly among leaves of different sizes on a branch. Both damage by F. pumila and artificial damage to leaves early in the season decreased survival of P. thomsoni larvae on the same branch, and ovipositing P. thomsoni females avoided damaged leaves but not other leaves on the same branch. In general, oviposition choices by P. thomsoni reduced larval survival. Possible reasons for the lack of a strong preference–performance relationship in P. thomsoni are discussed.

Pittosporum undulatum was identified as an invader of forests and woodlands in southern Australia over 30 years ago (Gleadow and Ashton 1981). At the time it was predicted that its high reproductive potential, suppression of competitors, and broad tolerance of environmental challenges, coupled with changing management practices, could result in serious infestations and threaten the regeneration of native eucalypt forests, unless steps were taken to control it. That prediction is becoming a reality. At Menzies Creek, where there was a single female tree 70 years ago, the density of saplings and mature trees is now 4000-6000 per hectare; there is no diversity and no eucalyptus seedlings under the coalescing canopy. In order to determine the rate and direction of invasion in neighbouring areas, a good approximation of tree age is required. A citizen science project co-ordinated by one of us (JW) worked with the local primary school to calibrate plant circumference with age. Trees (N = 39) were felled 30 em above ground level and age determined using tree rings at two sites; at the edge of the invasion canopy, and within it. The correlation between age and circumference was highly significant at both sites; however the slopes differed between trees growing at the edge and those growing in a closed canopy Incorporating plant growth parameters into the invasive model will determine the time it will take for P undulatum to invade non-managed forests in the region. It was estimated that the invasion front is progressing southward from Menzies Creek at about 80 m/year. If this rate applies to the P undulatum populations now surrounding the Dandenong Ranges, then unless treatment or control measures are put in place, they will be completely covered in 25~30 years. The gender ratio ofP undulatum suggests that only about 25% of the population need to be treated or controlled-the female trees carrying viable berries-thereby reducing the cost of treatment greatly. While there are significant knowledge gaps in the area of population genetics, sex ratios and growth rates in different environments, it is important that coordinated action be taken soon to preserve the biodiversity of areas of significance to greater Melbourne and other areas of Victoria where its invasions have become well established.

Anabantoid fishes comprise a unique group, most of whose representatives are characterized by diverse forms of parental care. Evolutional reconstruction of the reproductive strategies of anabantoids is challenging, partly due to the lack of reliable evidence of parental care in a number of its representatives, the most famous of which is the climbing perch. Moreover, apparent contradictions between literary sources frequently occur on the subject. This brief overview attempts to analyze the situation and identify the possible causes of disagreement. The further development in understanding the phylogeny of life history strategies in the group, as well as the concept of evolutionary transitions among parental care patterns in fishes in general, depend on the clarification of this situation.

Sexual-size dimorphism (SSD) is widespread in animals. Body length is the most common trait used in the study
of SSD in reptiles. However, body length combines lengths of different body parts, notably heads and abdomens.
Focusing on body length ignores possible differential selection pressures on such body parts. We collected the head
and abdomen lengths of 610 lizard species (Reptilia: Squamata: Sauria). Across species, males have relatively
larger heads, whereas females have relatively larger abdomens. This consistent difference points to body length
being an imperfect measure of lizard SSD because it comprises both abdomen and head lengths, which often differ
between the sexes. We infer that female lizards of many species are under fecundity selection to increase abdomen
size, consequently enhancing their reproductive output (enlarging either clutch or offspring size). In support of this,
abdomens of lizards laying large clutches are longer than those of lizards with small clutches. In some analyses,
viviparous lizards have longer abdomens than oviparous lizards with similar head lengths. Our data also suggest
that male lizards are under sexual selection to increase head size, which is positively related to winning male–male
combats and to faster grasping of females. Thus, larger heads could translate into higher probability to mate.

In late July 1720 Sultan Ahmed III (r.1703-1730) and his high-ranking officials took the decision to host a circumcision festival in Istanbul that would start in mid-September and continue for three-weeks. As the narrative sources mentioned, among various other preparations that the officials had to take care of, the most urgent one was to construct big and small naḫıls (lit. “date palms”), consisting of wooden poles decorated with wax, fruit, flowers, and giant scale candy gardens (sing. bāġçe-i şeker). Despite this concern, the authors did not provide substantial information related to the construction process of these objects. Interestingly, this lack of information is also seen in other narrative sources on previous imperial celebrations. Based on an analysis of unknown archival documents and on a comparison with the textual and pictorial sources related to the 1720 festival, this essay intends to elucidate the design and construction process of these splendid objects, which were indispensable material forms of Ottoman imperial festivals.

Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) californicus is an indigenous mite in Japan that feeds on many spider mite species. We evaluated the development, survivorship and life-history parameters of A. californicus on a diet of eggs of Tetranychus urticae (red form). More than 97.3% of A. californicus eggs hatched and more than 81.6% of newly hatched larvae attained maturity at temperatures between 15 and 35 8C. Females oviposited at 37.5 8C, but no eggs hatched. At 40 8C, no females laid eggs. The lower threshold temperature from egg to oviposition was 10.3 8C and the thermal constant was 86.2 degree-days. Based on these data, the maximum number of generations that could complete development in a year under field conditions in Ibaraki, central Japan, would be between 21 and 28. At 25 8C, females laid a mean of 41.6 eggs during a mean oviposition period of 19.4 days. The intrinsic rates of natural increase (r m ) were 0.173 at 20 8C, 0.274 at 25 8C and 0.340 at 30 8C. # 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Experimental and Applied Acarology 15-30, 2004. 32:

The zooplankton Moina macrocopa was cultured with three kinds of emulsified lipid media (Selco ® , squid oil, canola oil) and two kinds of fish wastes (fish pellets and fish feces) to determine the impact of these food sources on its population dynamics. All diets were provided at five levels: 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 g/l. For all diets, life history parameters showed the highest values at the lowest concentrations, i.e., <0.125 g/l. Overall demographic performance was better in M. macrocopa fed the emulsified liquid diets than M. macrocopa raised in the control treatment (dechlorinated water; no diet) but not as good as in M. macrocopa fed the fish wastes. Fish feces was excellent for propagating M. macrocopa. In conclusion, using fish wastes to cultivate M. macrocopa could be an inexpensive and sustainable cultivation approach.

Proper management of Oreochromis niloticus brood is the prime importance for good quality fry production. The research was undertaken to determine the optimum parameters of Oreochromis niloticus broodstocks, the effects of various parameters on fecundity of broodstocks which were reared in floating hapa for three months. During the study period twelve samples were collected for determining the soil quality, water quality and biological parameter analysis. All the water parameters were in optimum levels, where temperature ranged from 27oC to 31oC, pH from 6.6 to 7.0 and DO from 4.9 to 5.7. The experiment evaluated the maturity performance of the broodstocks. The Specific Growth Rate was 0.295% and Mean Daily Growth was 0.047cm/day. The Length–Weight relationship was also determined. The average fecundity recorded was 2.65 nos/gm of body weight. Statistical analysis was also done to determine the effects of various factors on fecundity where, correlation of fecundity with temperature,...

Este artigo compreende parte da discussão formulada na tese de doutorado: Da Sedução e outros perigos. O Mito da Deusa Mãe, sobre a proto-figuratividade no sistema mítico da Deusa Mãe, partindo das representações visuais e verbais encontradas desde o Paleolítico e o Neolítico até o período Arcaico grego. Ao estabelecer-se o contorno figural da Deusa Mãe delineou-se um motivo comum na arte e na existência do homem: vida, gozo e morte, encarnados na figura feminina.
This article anderstend part of the debate done in the doctorate thesis, Concerning seduction and other dangers. The myth of the mother goddess, which is about proto-figurativization in the mother goddess mythical system, starting with the visual and verbal representations that have been found from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods until the Greek Archaic period. Establishing the mother goddess’ figurative contour, a common motif was achieved in art as well as in men’s existence: life, which is both pleasure and death, is fleshed out in the feminine figure.

The reproductive ecology of the hermaphroditic broadcast spawning scleractinian reef coral Platygyra daedalea was studied on lagoonal reefs in Kenya. While single annual gametogenic cycles occurred in 84% of colonies, biannual gametogenic cycles were recorded in 16% of colonies and these patterns occurred in two morphotypes. In colonies with a single annual cycle, oogenesis occurred for 6-7 months from September to March and spermatogenesis for 5 months from November to March. In biannually spawning colonies, oogenic cycles overlapped for at least 2 months prior to gamete release. The major spawning period occurred in February and March, with minor spawning also occurring in August-October in biannually spawning colonies. Reproductive effort was lower during the minor winter compared to the major summer spawning, with fewer colonies reproducing (12.5-19.2%), not all mesenteries producing oocytes (32.5%) and less than half of the mesenteries with mature oocytes had associated spermaries (48.1%).

In many cultured fish species, particularly in those new for aquaculture, unpredictable and variable reproductive performance is an important limiting factor for the successful mass production of juveniles. An improvement in broodstock nutrition and feeding has been shown to greatly improve not only egg and sperm quality but also seed production. Gonadal development and fecundity are affected by certain essential dietary nutrients, especially in continuous spawners with short vitellogenic periods. Thus, during the last two decades, more attention has been paid to the level of different nutrients in broodstock diets. However, studies on broodstock nutrition are limited and relatively expensive to conduct.

This study wants to introduce zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figurines of The Early Iron Age, as a result of the research done in the last decades in North-West Romania. Although we have a large amount of discoveries of this period, this type of representations are extremely few. All of them are from Şimleu Silvaniei Observator a very important fortified settlement.

Fecundity is one of the most important aspects of reproductive biology study of any fish species. Though very little work so far has been done on fecundity study of different species of Mystus; but there exists a lacuna regarding the same for Mystus tengara specifically in the agro-climatic context of India. The study has revealed that the fecundity of Mystus tengara ranged from 6,770-21,708 with an average of 13,365.84±7,260.40; thus representing the highly fecund nature of this fish species. On the other hand, fecundity has shown highly significant (P<0.01) positive relationship with Total Body Weight, Total Length, Ovary Weight and Ovary Length; but comparison of correlation coefficients of fecundity with these above said parameters have indicated that variation in fecundity can be explained better in terms of Ovary Weight, Ovary Length and Total Body Weight than in terms of Total Length for this fish species.

In order to investigate a possible association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and twinning, information on 1 096 330 single births and 12 342 twin births in 1983–95 was obtained from the Swedish Medical Birth Registry (MBR). All odds ratios (OR) were estimated after stratification for year of birth and maternal age, parity, and educational level. Smoking women, compared with non-smoking women, were at increased risk of having dizygotic (DZ) twins, but the risk increase was only evident among multiparas. A strong association between previous involuntary childlessness and dizygotic (DZ) twinning (especially in primiparas) was found. The strongest association between maternal smoking and DZ twinning was found among multiparas without any history of involuntary childlessness (OR: 1.35, 95%CI:1.22–1.49), whereas among women who had experienced involuntary childlessness, the opposite was seen (OR: 0.82, 95%CI:0.66–1.00, no difference between parity strata). Weinberg&#39;s diffe...

The threatened indigenous small fish, Mystus vittatus (Bloch 1794) is a commercially important fish of Bangladesh. The present study describes the fecundity and its relationships with some of the morphometrics and condition factors (Fulton's, K F ; Relative weight, W R) of M. vittatus. A total of 50 matured female M. vittatus were collected using the cast net from the Padma River during May-July, 2012. Total fecundity (F T) of each female was calculated as the number of oocytes found in each ovary, whereas relative fecundity (F R) was the number of oocytes per gram of fish weight. The total length (TL) ranged from 8.21 to 12.36 cm (10.60±1.08 cm) and the body weight (BW) varied between 6.0 and 21.65 g (14.08±4.15 g). The F T ranged from 3256 to 22549 with a mean value of 13064.50±4920 while the F R ranged from 472 to 1648 oocytes per gram of female, with a mean of 929±245. Significant and strong relationships were found between F T vs. TL (r 2 = 0.63; p<0.001), F T vs. BW (r 2 = 0.61; p<0.001), F T vs. OW (r 2 = 0.89; p<0.001) and F T vs. GSI (r s = 0.67; p<0.001), but insignificant relationships were recorded for F T vs. K F (r s = 0.11; p = 0.452), F T vs.W R (r s = 0.001; p = 0.997). The information provided in this study will help initiating sustainable management and conservation of the threatened M. vittatus in the region.

The effect of temperature and relative humidity (r.h.) on the biology of the carpet beetle Attagenus fasciatus was studied under laboratory conditions. The influence of two temperatures (30 °C and 35 °C) and three humidities (40, 60 and 80% r.h.) on the number, duration, mortality and pupation of larval instars, as well as on the biology of fed and starved adult beetles,

Pacífico suroriental RESUMEN. Se entregan resultados de la biología reproductiva del pez espada capturado frente a la costa chilena. Se realizaron muestreos biológicos en la zona económica exclusiva y alta mar adyacente a las islas de Pascua, Salas y Gómez, San Félix y San Ambrosio, entre febrero de 2001 y enero de 2002 y fueron sometidos a análisis histológicos. Los registros mensuales de hembras sexualmente activas, la frecuencia de estadios ováricos y el índice gonádico, muestran la mayor actividad reproductiva circunscrita a la época estival, durante enero y febrero. Mediante el análisis de la distribución de frecuencia de ovocitos, se observa una separación de la moda más avanzada alrededor de 600 µm; si se considera como fecundidad parcial a los ovocitos mayores a este diámetro y la fecundidad varía entre 0,5 y 31 millones de ovocitos para ejemplares de 217 y 303 cm de la longitud mandíbula inferior a horquilla respectivamente. Los resultados indican evidencias que podría ser un pez sincrónico por grupo, ya que entre otras características, en algunos ejemplares existe una discontinuidad entre ovocitos maduros e inmaduros. Palabras clave: madurez gonadal, índices gonádicos, histología, fecundidad, pez espada, Pacífico suroriental.

The threatened indigenous small fish, Mystus vittatus (Bloch 1794) is a commercially important fish of Bangladesh. The present study describes the fecundity and its relationships with some of the morphometrics and condition factors (Fulton’s, KF; Relative weight, WR) of M. vittatus. A total of 50 matured female M. vittatus were collected using the cast net from the Padma River during May-July, 2012. Total fecundity (FT) of each female was calculated as the number of oocytes found in each ovary, whereas relative fecundity (FR) was the number of oocytes per gram of fish weight. The total length (TL) ranged from 8.21 to 12.36 cm (10.60±1.08 cm) and the body weight (BW) varied between 6.0 and 21.65 g (14.08±4.15 g). The FT ranged from 3256 to 22549 with a mean value of 13064.50±4920 while the FR ranged from 472 to 1648 oocytes per gram of female, with a mean of 929±245. Significant and strong relationships were found between FT vs. TL (r 2 = 0.63; p&lt;0.001), FT vs. BW (r 2 = 0.61; p&l...