Record of a Mature Female Short-finned Squid, Illex illecebrosus, Captured Inshore at Newfoundland and Previous Captures of Mature Females in the Northwest Atlantic

摘要

mature female short-finned squid, Illex illecebrosus, captured inshore on the west coast of Newfoundland on 26 September 1980 represents the most northerly record of a female in near-spawning condition. The specimen was classified as mature on the basis of visual examination and the nidamental gland length/mantle length ratio. Ova in the oviducts varied in size but were considerably larger than those remaining in the ovary. Fecundity was much lower than that reported for captive animals but similar to previous estimates for mature females from the wild population. The capture of the 1980 specimen is considered in relation to six previous records of mature females captured in late spring to early autumn in the Northwest Atlantic, and possible reasons for these rare occurrences are discussed