Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

The Korean Society of Fisheries and Aquatic Science (한국수산과학회)
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Gonad Maturation Cycle of the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus Population Inhabiting an Artificial Seaweed Forest, Samchuk, Korea

  • Kim, Su-Kyoung (Aquaculture Management Division, NFRDI) ;
  • Kim, Young-Dae (East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI) ;
  • Jo, Q-Tae (East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI) ;
  • Lee, Jong-Ha (East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI) ;
  • Lee, Chu (Aquaculture Management Division, NFRDI) ;
  • Lee, Chae-Sung (East Sea Fisheries Research Institute, NFRDI)
  • Received : 2009.10.15
  • Accepted : 2010.06.10
  • Published : 2010.06.30
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Abstract

We determined the seasonal gonad maturation in Strongylocentrotus nudus sea urchins inhabiting an artificially enhanced seaweed forest along the Samchuk Coast of Korea from April 2006 to March 2007. A total of 30 sea urchins per month were collected from the study area, and gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad index (GI), egg diameter, and RNA/DNA variation were measured for each specimen. GSI values of female and male urchins achieved maximums of 17.6 and 17.0, respectively, in June. Based on histological studies, maximum GI values occurred in July (4.6 for females and 4.8 for males). A mean ovarian egg diameter of $73.7\;\pm\;14.2\;{\mu}m$ was measured in August; during the main spawning period in September, mean egg diameter reached a maximum of $74.2\;\pm\;17.8\;{\mu}m$. The RNA/DNA ratio and RNA content for both males and females showed a distinct peak during the ripe stage in July, but another peak occurred in the spring season from March to April, when urchins deposit protein into the nutritive phagocytes of immature gonads prior to gametogenesis. The reproductive cycle of S. nudus is divided into five stages: early active (December-May), late active (March-July), ripe (July-September), spent and degenerative (August-November), and inactive (October-February). Our continuous removal of sea urchins from the study area did not influence the reproductive cycle, as populations quickly recovered, and achieved normal gonad development cycle in the site.

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References

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