PERIODE DE PONTE, SEX-RATIO ET MATURITE SEXUELLE DE DENTEX MAROCCANUS (TELEOSTEI, SPARIDAE) DES COTES TUNISIENNES.

Reproduction period, sex-ratio and sexual maturity of Dentex maroccanus ((Teleostei, Sparidae) in Tunisian coasts : The survey of the reproduction period, of age and size of first sexual maturity of Dentex maroccanus has been achieved for the first time on the Tunisian coasts. The reproduction period is limited between July and October for this species of Dentex. The sex-ratio of D. maroccanus, per season, by size classes and by region, shows a dominance of females. This ratio inverts in favour of males during the reproduction period, generally between June and August and this for the large specimens (more than 18 cm TL). The calculation of the maturity ratio by size classes and by sex, permitted to determine the size and the age of first sexual maturity. The value of L50 (50% of mature) corresponds for the two sexes to 15cm of fish total length and about 2 years old. At the age of 3 years (TL=19.5 cm), 100% of the population are mature. We can note that the smallest mature individuals met during our sampling measured 11 cm of total length (1 year old).