SOME ASPECTS OF THE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE SADDLED SEA BREAM OBLADA MELANURA (LINNAEUS, 1758) IN BENGHAZI COAST –EASTERN LIBYA

The reproductive biology of 400 specimens of Oblada melanura (Family: Sparidae) collected by gill and trammel nets in Benghazi coast, Eastern Libya, Mediterranean Sea from artisanal fishing was studied. There were monthly variations in sex ratio between females (242 fish = 60.5%) and males (158 fish = 39.5%). Sex ratio was (1: 1.53) for males to females respectively. Length at first maturity, L50, for O. melanura was found to be 17.5 cm for males and 18.6 for females. The breeding season extends from March to June. Oocyte diameters increase from January (345 ± 27.4 μm), until the maximum value in June (1112 ± 487.8 μm). The average absolute fecundity ranged was from 22278 ± 181.8 to 366780 ± 611.1 for fish with the average total length ranging from 16.5 to 32.4 cm, whereas relative fecundity ranged from 1350.2 eggs/cm to 11320.4 eggs/cm.