SEASONAL EGG LIBERATION AND POTENTIAL OUTPUT OF HORMOSRA BANKS

Abstract

Seasonal variation and potential output of egg liberation in the fucalean species Hormosira banksii (Turner). Decaisne was investigatedb Eggs were produced throughout the year but the reproductive capacity was seasonal. A good liberation of was observed from July-October (winter to early spring) when the mean sea water temperature was 14 C where eggs produced were healthy, morphologically as well as physiologically and fertilization in the laboratory showed a high synchrony. Liberation of eg» was low at high temperature (17.5-220C) during December-February and most of the eggs were apparently not healthy often disintegrated when released from the conceptacles and viability of the eggs was also low with abnormal growth.