| The white grunt, Haemulon plumieri is a commercially important fish characterized by shifts in behavior and location during ontogeny. A major redistribution offshore appears to occur at sexual maturation. To determine if maturation served like a trigger, gonadal development was histologically analysed for 208 wild and 34 tank-reared fish characterized by ontogenetic stage, length, and location. The sex ratio (Male/Female = 1:2.27) was different from one. Sizes at sexual differentiation (male = 86, female = 72 millimeters (mm) Fork Length (FL)) and sexual maturation (50% mature individuals: Male = 80, Female = 120 mm FL) were less than previously recorded. Environmental factors can affect these sizes, but no differences were found inshore versus offshore. There was no correspondence between ontogenetic stage and gonadal stage. Data suggest that maturing juveniles may move preferentially offshore during ontogenetic transitions. |
