POPULATION BIOLOGY OF ELEDONE CIRRHOSA (MOLLUSCA, CEPHALOPODA) IN THE NORTH AEGEAN SEA (EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA)

The present paper deals with data on the population biology of Eledone cirrhosa in the North Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean Sea) collected during eight trawl surveys carried out from 1990 to 1992 as part of an E.E.C. project on demersal resources of this area. The length frequency distributions exhibited gaussian components the progression during time of which was used to model the growth of Eledone cirrhosa according to the parabolic equation : DML (mm) = 8.18 + 1.75 t + 0.13 t(2), where t = month. On the basis of this model, individuals of Eledone cirrhosa in the North Aegean Sea should reach the greatest sizes at a maximum age of about 22 months from hatching. Ripe gonads in males were found in June and August-September whereas mature females were almost exclusively caught during the August-September period. The sizes at first maturation in males and females were 77 mm DML and 89 mm DML respectively. The juveniles were mainly found in the upper 100 m of depth where a nursery area for the species is probably present while mature individuals were mostly fished at a depth greater than 200 m which represents the spawning area of Eledone cirrhosa in the North Agean Sea.