Spatio-temporal variability in the structure by size of Dosidicus gigas (d’Orbigny, 1835) in Peruvian waters between 1958 and 2015

Abstract

 Squids are short-lived species with high phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental factors. Among the responses to environmental changes, population structure has been studied in many species of squids, including D. gigas. However, an analysis of major amplitude spatial and temporal that allows inferring the degree of response of change of the population structure has not been addressed in the Southeast Pacific. In this sense, based on mantle length data recorded during different cruises and surveys conducted before 1991, as well as on the sizes recorded during its fishery in Peruvian waters, this paper analyzes and discusses the spatial and temporal variability of the population structure in this area for the period 1958-2015. The results show that the population structure can change rapidly associated to the size of gonadal maturity. By latitude, there are no differences in the population structure, while longitudinally smaller specimens are observed at greater distances to the shore.