Gonadotropins, gonadotropin receptors and their expressions during sexual maturation in yellowtail, a carangid fish

To study the physiological roles of gonadotropins (GtHs) in the yellowtail, the cDNAs encoding each GtH subunit (GPHα, FSHβ and LHβ) and their receptors (FSHR and LHR) were isolated from the pituitary gland and gonads using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, thyrotropin (TSH) and its receptor (TSHR) cDNAs, were isolated from the pituitary gland, ovary and testis. The changes in the mRNA levels of each subunit were determined at different stages of maturation. The isolated cDNAs of GPHα, FSHβ, LHβ and TSHβ were 662, 545, 595 and 879 bp long, respectively. The amino acid sequence identity of the yellowtail GPHα, FSHβ, LHβ and TSHβ subunits was 85–63, 68–33, 93–65 and 74–46%, respectively, as compared with other fish species. Northern blot analysis showed that GPHα and FSHβ were strongly expressed in pituitary at the early vitellogenic stage and during spermatogenesis, whereas LHβ was expressed significantly in the late vitellogenic stage, and in both spermatogenesis and spermiation. Full-length cDNAs encoding FSHR, LHR, and TSHR were obtained from the testes and ovaries. The FSHR, LHR and TSHR cDNA encoded a protein of 680, 702 and 778 amino acids, and showed the highest identity with tilapia FSHR (76%), tilapia LHR (84%) and striped bass TSHR (94%), respectively. Northern blot analyses indicated that all of these receptors are expressed differently at different stages in the ovaries and testes.     

Occurrence and distribution during the post-settlement stage of two Choerodon species in shallow waters around Ishigaki Island, southern Japan

The recruitment patterns of black-spot tuskfish Choerodon schoenleinii were compared with those of orange-dotted tuskfish (OT) C. ancholago. Individuals at the settlement and juvenile stages were collected using a push net in the intertidal zone and a seine net in seagrass beds. Relative values of standard length to total length (TL) for the two Choerodon species indicated an inflection point at approximately 10?C20?mm TL, suggesting that both species complete metamorphosis at a similar size. However, their temporal and spatial occurrence patterns were distinct. Newly settled individuals (postflexion stage) of black-spot tuskfish were collected mainly within foliage of Sargassum plants of the intertidal zone around March?CApril, while those of OT occurred in both the intertidal zone and seagrass beds mainly in May and June. In seagrass beds, the abundances of both species increased from May or June; however, the TL of black-spot tuskfish was bigger than that of OT. Therefore, black-spot tuskfish progressively migrate to seagrass beds after settling and completing metamorphosis in the intertidal zone, indicating that they utilize two different habitats as nursery grounds. Early spawning and migration from the intertidal zone by this species contributed to the occurrence of relatively large individuals in seagrass beds.