The breeding activity, sex ratio and variation in body length of a number of cyclopoid copepod species from the upper 450m of the Red Sea were analyzed. In most species the body length of adult specimens was in the lower range or less than those reported from other pelagic regions. In the central Red Sea most species had some individuals actively breeding, during both autumn and winter. To the north, breeding was observed in fewer species. Only two species, Paroithona sp. and Agetus limbatus , however, seemed to find conditions for reproduction better in the north than in the central area. The sex ratios were quite consistent for all species within the families Sapphirinidae and Corycaeidae (high percentage of males) and Oithonidae (low percentage of males). Within the Oncaeidae, the percentage of males varied from a few percent to >60% of adults. There appears to be a relationship between sex ratio and size. Populations of the very small Oncaea species, O.ivlevi , O.prendeli and O.zernovi , include far fewer males than those of their larger congeners. The available information on the biology of Oncaea is summarized. Peculiarities in their life histories and reproduction are discussed.
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Böttger-Schnack et al. (1989) studied this question.