Maturity stages and estimation of spawning season in cephalopods

Sasikumar, Geetha and Kavitha, M and Sajikumar, K K (2023) Maturity stages and estimation of spawning season in cephalopods. Marine Fisheries Information Service; Technical and Extension Series (258). pp. 28-30. ISSN 0254-380X

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Abstract

The reproductive systems of cephalopods in cuttlefish, squid, and octopuses exhibit similarity. These species have separate sexes. In females, maturation primarily involves development of gonads and the enlargement of accessory reproductive organs, namely the oviducal, nidamental, and accessory nidamental glands. Typically, assessing maturity stages relies on a descriptive scale and indices based on the relative development of reproductive tissues. In males, mature spermatozoa are enclosed in spermatophores that are stored in the spermatophoric sac, also known as Needham’s Sac. Fertilization occurs through individual mating, during which spermatophores are transferred from males to females using a modified arm (hectocotylus) specialized for this mating process. Females can store sperm, resulting in delayed fertilization. Egg deposition varies among species; some attach egg masses to the seabed (common in octopuses, loliginid squid, and cuttlefish), while others release gelatinous egg masses into the water column (typical of most squid families).

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