Sea surface temperature is associated with gametogenesis and reproductive investment of the Giant Eastern Pacific conch Titanostrombus galeatus

Résumé fourni par la source

Knowledge about the reproductive investment of ecologically and commercially valuable marine invertebrates, such as the giant eastern Pacific conch Titanostrombus galeatus, is scarce. Particularly, the extent to which seasonal sea surface temperature (SST) is associated with reproductive dynamics in this species remains poorly understood. Here, we provide an integrative assessment of gametogenesis, reproductive investment, and their association with SST in T. galeatus based on two consecutive annual cycles in the southern Mexican Pacific. Monthly histological analyses revealed a synchronous annual gametogenic cycle in both sexes characterized by increased gonad ripening and reproductive investment during the warm season, whereas resting, spawning, and oocyte atresia predominated during cooler months. Female reproductive investment ( i.e., gonad coverage area, reproductive potential, and the abundance and size of developing oocytes) exhibited marked seasonal variation, reaching maximum values during periods of higher SST. Generalized Additive Models showed that most reproductive traits were strongly associated with contemporaneous SST, whereas oocyte size and male gonad development exhibited stronger associations with lagged SST. These findings indicate that SST variability is closely associated with reproductive investment in T. galeatus and support the use of satellite-derived SST as a practical environmental indicator for anticipating reproductive dynamics to inform fisheries management of this heavily exploited snail population in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.