Early development of the silver catfish Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (Pisces:Heptapteridae) from the São Francisco River Basin, Brazil

The silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen , is endemic to North, Central and South America with high aquaculture potential and wide acceptance in the market. Breeder fish were subjected to induced reproduction through hypophysation using a crude common carp pituitary extract. Egg characteristics, oocyte surface ultrastructure and histology of larval ontogenesis until whole yolk resorption were described for the first time for this species. Oocytes and semen were obtained by manual extrusion, and fertilization was conducted using the dry method. After fertilization, eggs were kept in incubators at 24 °C. The embryonic development was monitored using a stereomicroscope every 10 min until hatching. To analyse the larval development, larvae samples were collected from incubators daily until the fifth day, fixed in Bouin's fluid and subjected to routine histological techniques. The oocyte extrusion occurred 8 h after the second hormone dose at 26 °C. The oocytes were spherical, non-adhesive and yellow, with a diameter of 1471.75±47.63 μm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a thin jelly coat covering the zona radiata in the animal pole around the micropyle. The blastopore closure occurred within 8 h after fertilization, and the fertilization rate was 79.9±5.2% at 24 °C. Embryonic development was completed within 25 h 30 min after fertilization. The complete resorption of the yolk and the formation of the digestive system organs and the mouth opening occurred on the fifth day, indicating a need for exogenous feeding. The results of this study provide information important for improvement in R. quelen culture and management.