• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.34.1-34.13
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• 2018

Sexual maturity ($L_{50}$), the length at which 50% of fish in a size class are mature, is a key aspect of domestication of new fish species because it guides the procedure for identification of appropriate broodstock size for artificial spawning. In this study, the $L_{50}$ was determined for 1083 Barbus altianalis samples obtained from Lake Edward and the Upper Victoria Nile. Gonads of freshly killed samples were examined macroscopically and verified with standard histological procedures for the maturation stages that were used to determine $L_{50}$. Oocytes and spermatogenic cell sizes were compared for fish obtained from both water bodies. Results indicated that there were no variations in macro gonad features observed for fish from Lake Edward and Upper Victoria Nile. Similarly, there were no significant differences in oocyte sizes (P > 0.05) between the two populations but significant differences in spermatogenic cell sizes were noted (P < 0.05) except for spermatozoa (P > 0.05). This however did not suggest peculiar differences between the two populations for staging the gonads. Consequently, no staging variations were suggested for both populations in determination of $L_{50}$. Sexual maturity was found in the same class size of fork length (FL) 20-24.9 cm and 35-39.9 cm for males and females from both water bodies, respectively. At this FL, however, males were too small, and for good selection of vigor broodstocks for spawning and conservation purposes, they are better picked from class size of 30-34.9 cm FL and above. These findings were crucial for integration of appropriate breeding size in spawning protocol by farmers and fisheries scientists conserving wild B. altianalis populations.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2007

We investigated the maturity and spawning of black edged sculpin, Gymnocanthus herzensteini caught by gillnet in the East Sea from March 2003 to February, 2004. We analyzed monthly changes in maturity stages, gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad weight (GW), egg diameter, fecundity, total length at 50% group maturity and sex ratio. The spawning period was December to February. The fecundity ranged form 8,814 eggs at 14.7 cm (TL) to 25,560 eggs at 24.4 cm (TL). The relationship between total length (TL) and fecundity (F) was $F=285.11TL^{1.4092}$ ($R^2$ =0.571) and fecundity increased with total length. The total length at 50% group maturity was estimated to be 15.25 cm. The sex ratio was 60 for female and 40 for male, where the female population was seen to be slightly predominant. For sex ratio by length class, male was a little predominant in small size, but female was 90% more than 24 cm.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.410-412
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• 1983

On maturation of abalone KIKUCHI'S concept of accumulative temperature expressed ${\Sigma}(t_i-{\theta})$ have been apply importantly for an anniversary spawning of the animals. In case of Haliotis discus hannai he was formulated ${\Sigma}(t_i-7.6)>1300$. This expression is able to modify by UKI'S the relationship between the daily feeding rate ($\%$) (Y) ana temperature ($^{\circ}C$) (t) expressed Y= 0.4291 t-0.1501. The modified expression is as the formula ${\Sigma}(Y-3.05)>570$. And the concept its meaning involves is replaced with accumulative ingestion instead of accumulative temperature. This modified concept is understood that on maturation of abalone temperature decide on satiation level, food ingestion decide on gonad maturity rate.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.351-358
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• 2005

Reproductive condition of the tropical blacklip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera collected during the period July through September 2003 from Chuuk Lagoon, Federated State of Micronesia was investigated using histology. The level of gonad development for each pearl oyster was determined with an average score of five microscopic fields, and the average score was used as the maturity index (ML). All wild pearl oysters collected in July did exhibit fully ripe eggs in their ovaries ($45{\sim}50{\mu}M$ in diameter), indicating that they were ready for spawning. In mid August most wild pearl oysters were in spawning and M1 dropped dramatically from mid- to late September, suggesting that the wild pearl oyster completed spawning during this period. In contrast, the cultivated pearl oysters collected in mid-September held ripe eggs in the ovaries and only a few of them spawned, indicating that gonad maturation of the cultivated pearl oyster was somewhat slower than that of the wild pearl oyster in Chuuk Lagoon during the summer period. Histological analysis also indicated that spawning of the pearl oyster is rather incomplete and they may spawn continuously during summer.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2020

Changes of gonadal morphology and mRNA expression patterns of vitellogenin were investigated in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei) during its early gonadal maturation period. Early differentiations and morphological transitions of both ovaries and testes appeared to occur actively until the age of 3 years, however from then on, the maturation patterns to full maturity were largely gender-dependent, in which males showed a faster progression of maturation than did females while females experienced a steady-state progress with a lagged interval before entering the final maturation. Expression of vitellogenin mRNAs are closely correlated with transitional patterns of gonadal appearances. In both females and males, hepatic mRNA levels of vitellogenin exponentially increased in the earliest interval (up to 1-year-old). However, in subsequent periods, vitellogenin expression in females continued to increase with age, whereas in males, the expression stabilized at a younger age. Nevertheless, at the age older than or equal to 7-year-old, fully matured individuals showed a quite low level of vitellogenin expression in both females and males. Collectively, results from this study could be useful as a fundamental guideline to address the gonad maturation of this sturgeon species, which is helpful for making practical decisions about farming practices and management for caviar production on local sturgeon farms.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2006

Using biochemical methods, we determined the potential of local female shrimp populations as breeding stock to select the best adult prawns for improving larval production. As condition indexes, we selected total RNA, DNA, their ratio, and trypsin activity. The DNA content in the pleopods of each local population was similar, i.e., between $0.90{\pm}0.06\;and\;1.02{\pm}0.04(SE){\mu}g/mg$. In comparison, the RNA contents differed markedly between $2.00{\pm}0.09$ and $0.96{\pm}0.08\;{\mu}g/mg$. Therefore, the RNA/DNA (R/D) ratio in the pleopod could be used as a condition index because it represents a biochemical characteristic of the population. The mean pleopodal R/D ratio of the Goheung population was the highest at $2.52{\pm}0.19$, which indicated the best condition. Trypsin activity was influenced little by shrimp condition and more by the amount of food ingested. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) and R/D ratio in the gonads provided offsetting information about the instantaneous gonad maturity. The Goheung population had the highest instantaneous GSI, despite some spawning. Based on the condition indexes and time of gonad maturation, the Goheung shrimp population is suitable for use as breeding stock.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2004

Reproductive cycle, the condition index, sex ratio of the Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas were investigated by histological and morphometric data. The specimens were collected in the two oyster farms of Geoje and Namhae, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea, from November 1995 to October 1996. Growth of shell length in two regions was similar, but growth of total weight of the oyster in Namhae was faster than that in Geoje oyster farm. The spawning periods in female and male clams were from July to October in Geoje and from June to October in Namhae oyster farm. Ripe oocytes were approximately 50 m in diameter. The reproductive cycle of in females and males in Geoje and Namhae oyster farms can be divided into five successive stages: early developing, late developing, ripe, partially spawned and spent/inactive. Monthly changes in gonad developmental phases showed somewhat different patterns between female and male clams except for the spawning period. On the whole, however, monthly changes in the gonad developmental phases showed a similar pattern in the same sex. The sex ratios of females to males in Geoje and Namhae oyster farms were not significantly different from a 1:1 sex ratio ($x^2$ = 0.55 (p > 0.05) in Geoje and $x^2$ = 0.27 ( p > 0.05) in Namhae). Artificial induction of maturation by heating of adult oysters (two-year-old) was investigated from 17 January to 18 March in 1996. Maturity at the fixed water temperature group of $20^{\circ}C$ was 80%, it showed the highest maturity of experimental groups cultured for five weeks. The survival (%) of Crassostrea gigas in the raised water temperature experimental groups (15, 20, $25^{\circ}C$) were over 98.5%, as similar to the control group (100%). But, the survival of C. gigas in the fixed water temperature experimental groups (15, 20, 25, $30^{\circ}C$) were decreased with the increase of the water temperatures. In the fixed water temperature experimental group of $30^{\circ}C$, the survival was 51.1%. Base on these results, the fixed water temperature of $20^{\circ}C$ was the best condition for artificial induction of sexual maturation.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2009

The bigfin reef squid, Sepioteuthis lessoniana is commercially important species in Korea. Korean fishing vessels have actively caught it. However, the reproductive Biology of this species has been poorly known. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to provide information on the reproductive biology of Sepioteuthis lessoniana in Jeju Island, Korea. The bigfin reef squid caught by set net, from June to November 2006. Monthly changes in maturity stages, gonad weight, mantle length at 50% group maturity and sex ratio were investigated. The mantle length of the bigfin reef squid was between 10.6 and 32.1 cm. Maturation and spawning occur all year around, with more intensity from July to September, with peak July. The spawning period was June. The mantle length at 50% group maturity was estimated to be 18.01 cm. Sex ratio was 1:1.4 (male:female). The proportion of female was significantly higher than male ($x^2$-test, p > 0.01).

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.261-265
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• 2010

Reproductive biology of the purplish Washington clam, Saxidomus purpuratus was investigated based on the samples captured in Jinhae Bay, the East China Sea from January to December 2002. The gonad index (GI) began to increase in January, reached the maximum value in March. The reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: the early active stage (from November to January), the late active stage (from December to February), the ripe stage (from February to May and October), the spawned stage (from May to December), and inactive stage (from November to December). The spawning period was from April to December, and the main spawning occurred between June and August. The shell length at 50% group maturity was estimated to be 71.85 mm. The Sex ratio of this species was not significantly different a 1:1 sex ratio (P > 0.05).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

We have investigated the effect of melatonin (MLT) on specific growth rate (SGR% $day^{-1}$), condition factor (k), gonado-somatic-index (GSI), histological structures of gonads, serum as well as gonadal protein and lipid in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. MLT treatment in the dose of 25 ${\mu}g/L$ for three weeks reduced SGR% $day^{-1}$ ($0.9{\pm}0.04$) as compared to control ($1.23{\pm}0.026$). The GSI value was significantly (p<0.05) reduced to $1.77{\pm}0.253$ from control where it was $2.56{\pm}0.25$. Serum protein level increased from $9.33{\pm}2.90$ mg/ml (control) to $11.67{\pm}1.45$ mg/ml after MLT treatment while there was depressed serum triglycerides ($86.16{\pm}1.078$ mg/dl) and cholesterol ($126.66{\pm}0.88$ mg/dl) as compared to control values where these were $123.0{\pm}1.23$ mg/dl and $132.0{\pm}1.65$ mg/dl respectively. Histological structure of ovary showed small eggs of early perinucleolus stage after MLT treatment while testicular structure of control and MLT treated fish was more or less similar. It is concluded that exogenous melatonin suppressed SGR% $day^{-1}$, GSI, ovarian cellular activity, protein and lipid biosynthesis, in tilapia suggesting that melatonin is useful in manipulating the gonadal maturity in fishes.