| Main Ref. | Morrow, J.E., 1980 |
| Mode | dioecism |
| Fertilization | external |
| Mating type | |
| Spawning frequency | no obvious seasonal peak |
| Spawning aggregation | Ref. |
| Batch spawner | Yes. Ref. Saruwatari, T., J.A. López and T.W. Pietsch, 1997 |
| Reproductive guild |
nonguarders open water/substratum egg scatterers |
| Parental Care | none |
| Description of life cycle and mating behavior | Schools approach the beach to spawn, usually with the females appearing a few days before the males. At spawning, large numbers of males mill about near the edge of the surf. When a female is seen, numbers of males pursue her and try to get into spawning position. If she swims to deeper water, the males desert her. 1 to 5 males swim parallel to and slightly behind a ripe female. The males press against the female and as they reach water 2.5 to 5 cm deep, the fish bend and vibrate, releasing eggs and sperm, then retreat to deeper water. The spawning act may be repeated on several successive waves. Wave action buries the eggs, usually to a depth of 2.5 to10 cm but sometimes to as deep as 30 cm (Ref. 27547). |
| Search for more references on reproduction | Scirus |