Effects of thyroxine and thiourea on the metamorphosis of coral trout grouper Plectropomus leopardus

The contribution of the thyroid hormone to the metamorphosis of the coral trout Plectropomus leopardus was examined. Juveniles, aged 35 days, were exposed to thyroxine (T4, 0.1 p.p.m) and thiourea (TU; inhibitor of thyroid hormone synthesis, 30 p.p.m) for 13 days. All the fish in the T4-treated group had completed metamorphosis (second metamorphosis, pigmentation and resorption of fin spines) within three days after the beginning of the experiment (day 3), whereas it took 13 days for this to occur in the control fish. Moreover, the fish in the TU group had not completed metamorphosis even by day 13. Settling behavior was significantly stimulated by T4 treatment, as was the resorption of the dorsal and pelvic fin spines, the reduction of serration on the spines, and the transition of body color into an opaque reddish hue. Fish in the TU group had longer dorsal and pelvic spines, retarded pigmentation and an abnormal black coloration. These results suggest that thyroid hormone accelerates most changes during the second metamorphosis in the coral trout.     

Evidence of homing of black rockfish Sebastes inermis using biotelemetry

ABSTRACT: The black rockfish Sebastes inermis is one of the most important fishery species along the coast from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu, Japan and is often found in rocks and Zostera areas. We conducted biotelemetry using coded ultrasonic transmitters to clarify the movement of the black rockfish that inhabited the seawall of the Kansai International Airport. We released 25 black rockfish at two points. One was the airport seawall and the other was side shallows off the Sensyu district. Seventeen black rockfish returned to their capture site after release. We used the V -test to determine whether the direction of movement was random or orientated. The black rockfish moved at random along the seawall within some hours after release ( P  > 0.05). Four hours after release, they moved to their home site intentionally ( P  < 0.0025).     

Changes in oxidative status in periparturient dairy cows in hot conditions

We investigated the changes in the plasma concentrations of oxidative stress markers in periparturient dairy cows in hot conditions. This study was performed on 10 cows from day ?5 to day 10 after parturition. The experimental duration was divided into three periods: period 1 (5 days before parturition); period 2 (5 days after parturition); and period 3 (from day 6 to day 10 after parturition). The average rectal temperature in the cows during the experimental period was more than 39°C. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase activities in periods 2 and 3 were higher than that in period 1 (P < 0.05). Blood urea nitrogen concentration in period 3 was lower than those in periods 1 and 2 (P < 0.05). The total ascorbic acid concentration in the plasma in period 2 was greater than those in periods 1 and 3 (P < 0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations in periods 2 and 3 were greater than that in period 1 (P < 0.05). TBARS concentration was positively correlated with aspartate aminotransferase activity (P < 0.05). These results suggested that oxidative stress increased in cows after parturition under hot climatic conditions.     

Spontaneous mosaicism occurred in normally fertilized and gynogenetically induced progeny of the kokanee salmon Oncorhynchus nerka

ABSTRACT:   In normally fertilized progeny of the kokanee salmon Oncorhynchus nerka , DNA content flow cytometry revealed that all the externally normal embryos were diploid, whereas abnormal embryos exhibited haplo-diploid, diplo-tetraploid and haplo-diplo-tetraploid mosaicisms, together with a few haploid and diploid individuals. When gynogenetic development was artificially induced by fertilization of eggs obtained from a female of the same kokanee brood stock with UV-irradiated sperm, haplo-diploid mosaics appeared most frequently. These mosaics were likely to happen by certain cytological events, such as meiotic or mitotic errors during the process of maturation, fertilization or early cleavage.