Ecology Summary - Rossia macrosoma

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Ecology of Rossia macrosoma

Main Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.), 2005
Remarks	Hyperbenthic (Ref. 106087). Found over sandy-muddy areas offshore from 32 to 899 m depth. In the western Mediterranean, observed to prefer deeper waters in winter and in shallower coastal waters during spawning and throughout the rest of the year. Polytelic. Spawning takes place throughout the year, peaking in spring and autumn. Mating behavior involves the male grasping the female's 'neck' region followed by the insertion of its hectocotylus into the female's mantle cavity. Eggs are laid in small clusters of 30 to 40, covered with a hard, violet-red coat; commonly found on bivalve shells of Pinna sp. Or on other solid substrates. Eggs hatch after 45 days in water temperature of about 16°C. Females mature at 8 to 11 months and are larger than males that mature at 7 to 8 months. Longevity is approximately 12 months. Of minor commercial importance, mostly as bycatch in bottom trawls, although generally never abundant. Among countries in the Mediterranean, it is variedly valued for its tasty meat and sold fresh or frozen in fish markets (Ref. 1695).

Main Ref.

Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.), 2005

Remarks

Hyperbenthic (Ref. 106087). Found over sandy-muddy areas offshore from 32 to 899 m depth. In the western Mediterranean, observed to prefer deeper waters in winter and in shallower coastal waters during spawning and throughout the rest of the year. Polytelic. Spawning takes place throughout the year, peaking in spring and autumn. Mating behavior involves the male grasping the female's 'neck' region followed by the insertion of its hectocotylus into the female's mantle cavity. Eggs are laid in small clusters of 30 to 40, covered with a hard, violet-red coat; commonly found on bivalve shells of Pinna sp. Or on other solid substrates. Eggs hatch after 45 days in water temperature of about 16°C. Females mature at 8 to 11 months and are larger than males that mature at 7 to 8 months. Longevity is approximately 12 months. Of minor commercial importance, mostly as bycatch in bottom trawls, although generally never abundant. Among countries in the Mediterranean, it is variedly valued for its tasty meat and sold fresh or frozen in fish markets (Ref. 1695).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Rossia macrosoma may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Benthic: mobile; demersal; Soft Bottom: sand; mud;
Substrate Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.), 2005
Special habitats	Beds: bivalve;
Special habitats Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.), 2005

Associations

Ref.	Jereb, P. and C.F.E. Roper (eds.), 2005
Associations	commensalism;
Associated with	Pinna sp.
Association remarks	Eggs are deposited on bivalve shells (Ref. 1695).
Parasitism

feeding

Feeding type	mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up)
Feeding type Ref.	Rosa, R., J. Pereira, P.R. Costa and M.L. Nunes, 2006
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Rosa, R., J. Pereira, P.R. Costa and M.L. Nunes, 2006

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	4.04	0.53			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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