MALE REPRODUCTIVE MATURITY IN THE OCTOPUS, ELEDONE-CIRRHOSA (CEPHALOPODA, OCTOPODA)

Males of E. cirrhosa grow to a size little over 600 g and normally have well-developed and presumably active reproductive organs from .apprx. 200 g upwards. Total weight of the genital bag is well correlated with total body weight (r = 0.906). Growth of the testis precedes that of the spermatophoric sac, and the size of neither of these reproductive components is predictable from body weight. The sizes of these organs and the estimated number and length of stored spermatophores are given for 100 g intervals of total body weight. No evidence was obtained for a seasonal trend in male maturity.