SCUBA observations of spawning in Hexagrammos agrammus off the tongyeong coast, Korea

Abstract

We used direct diving observations to determine the seasonality and other characteristics of spawning in the greenling Hexagrammos agrammus off the coast of Tongyeong. Eleven spawning grounds were identified between November 11, 2013 and January 25, 2014. The fertilized eggs of H. agrammus were assigned to developmental stages I, II, III, and IV. Based on this classification, we showed that the spawning season extended from the end of October to mid-January. H. agrammus used diverse seaweed species attached to shallow bedrock as spawning substrata that provided good camouflage. Two to seven egg masses were fertilized around the holdfasts of individual seaweeds at depths of 1.2-4.0 m. We identified species-specific reproductive traits of H. agrammus during the spawning season, including strong parental care of the fertilized eggs. ? 2015 The Korean Society of Fisheries and Aquatic Science.