Describing of the various reproductive characteristics of the dusky grouper (Epinephelus
guaza) is a protogynous hermaphrodite fish that fallows a monandric pathway
to sexual development. The samples (n=104) were collected during a year by
spear-fishing. Their 13 developmental stages of reproduction were determined.
The first step was named as juvenile; the gonads of the fish were ovo-testes in
which the sexual cells were not localized due to immaturities. The female
characters started to begin after the juvenile form. All the fishes had
different six female stages (F1 to F6) according to
gonadal ripening. The first sexual maturity of the females was observed in F3
stage which they were I+ - III years old and 39.1cm (LS).
Tree transitional periods (T1, T2, T3,) were
seen beyond of the female period (IV -VI years old). Intersexual periods were
followed by testicular phases, the fishes underwent to male sex which include
tree stages (M1, M2, M3,). The first sexual
maturity of the males (M2; VII-VIII years old) was started at 83.5cm
(LS). However the gonado-somatic index (GSI) is most common used
index for the fish. According to data; GSI were peaked in July and September in
female while they were peaked in May and July in male as per cent. Furthermore,
mating time was started in May according to the data of GSI and IRG,
so it was means that data were parallel to both of them in the present study.