title: Sexual maturity in western Atlantic bluefin tuna.
abstract: We introduce a novel endocrine approach for assessing the unresolved matter of the timing of sexual maturation in western Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT), a highly migratory population whose status remains uncertain. Ratios of follicle stimulating hormone to luteinizing hormone, a sexual maturity indicator, in all ABFT ≥ 134 cm curved fork length (CFL) were <0.4, similar to Mediterranean spawners, indicating that western ABFT mature at considerably smaller sizes and at a much younger age than currently assumed (≥ 185 cm CFL).
authors.affiliation: 1] Large Pelagics Research Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, USA [2] University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA.
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinisch
authors.affiliation: Israeli Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Center for Mariculture, Eilat, 88112, Israel.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.affiliation: 1] Large Pelagics Research Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, USA [2] University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: Israeli Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Center for Mariculture, Eilat, 88112, Israel.
authors.forename: Hillel
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gordin
authors.affiliation: Large Pelagics Research Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Gloucester, Massachusetts 01930, USA.
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lutcavage
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D005828:Genetics, Population / Q000379:methods; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D014413:Tuna / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone