Spawning grounds and reproductive traits of anadromous and resident pond smelt, Hypomesus nipponensis, in Lake Ogawara, Japan

SUMMARY: The objective of this study was to reveal the spawning grounds and reproductive characteristics of anadromous and resident pond smelt, Hypomesus nipponensis , coexisting in Lake Ogawara. Life history styles of females shedding in spawning grounds in the lake and its inflowing rivers were differentiated by otolith increment analysis. Size, dry weight, and water content of mature oocytes and fecundity of fish were compared between resident and anadromous fish. Both anadromous and resident fish spawned in the lake. In contrast, no resident fish were found in any of the inflowing rivers, where only anadromous fish spawned. Regression of fecundity against standard length was discontinuous with an inflection point at 63.8 mm, which is the body size that differentiates large anadromous spawning groups from small resident spawning groups. Mean oocyte diameters were not significantly different between resident and anadromous fish. The eggs of resident fish had significantly more water content and a significantly lower dry weight than those of anadromous fish. These differences might influence the growth and developmental processes of progeny.     

The reproductive biology of an open-water spawning Lake Malawi cichlid,Copadichromis chrysonotus

Copadichromis chrysonotus is a zooplanktivorous cichlid member of the diverse fish community inhabiting Lake Malawi’s rocky, littoral habitat. Like most Lake Malawi cichlids, this species’ reproductive strategy is based on maternal mouthbrooding, but it is the only littoral species known to spawn in the open water without a substrate-based territory. This studyinvestigated length at maturity, sexual dimorphism, spawning behaviour, breeding seasonality, fecundity, fertility, egg size, and brooding habits of C. chrysonotus in southern Lake Malawi. Males in breeding colouration aggregated in sheltered areas at least several metres deep, and each male defended a mobile breeding territory near the surface while attempting toattract females. Breeding was mostly continuous from August to May, with peaks in August–September and January–March. A major lull in breeding activity occurred in May and June. Mean fecundity and fertility increased significantly with female total length, while mean egg length, mean egg mass and gonadosomatic index did not increase significantly with female totallength. Females brooded their young up to 15–16 mm total length before abandoning them. Open-water spawning by C. chrysonotus may be an adaptation to reduce both egg predation during spawning and competition for substrate-based breeding territories.     

长江刀鲚生殖洄游过程中血清能量指标变动

为探究刀鲚(Coilia nasus)生殖洄游过程中血清能量指标的变动情况,于2019年4月15日 ~ 6月5日,在长江崇明段、镇江段和安庆段使用刺网采集刀鲚,对49尾刀鲚血清样本的能量指标进行测定分析。结果显示,自崇明至安庆的洄游过程中血糖、总胆固醇、低密度脂蛋白含量均无显著差异(P>0.05),血清总蛋白、甘油三酯、高密度脂蛋白和游离脂肪酸含量在镇江至安庆段均无显著差异(P>0.05),出现显著差异的过程主要集中在崇明至镇江段,总蛋白和甘油三酯含量显著降低(P<0.05),分别下降19.36%和29.29%;高密度脂蛋白和游离脂肪酸含量显著升高(P<0.05),分别上升60.38%和23.65%;安庆段卵巢发育至不同时期的刀鲚样本中,Ⅳ期样本的甘油三酯含量于Ⅱ期和Ⅲ期样本均存在显著差异(P<0.05),分别上升67.24%和53.75%,其余指标在各发育期样本间均无显著性差异(P>0.05)。综上所述,自崇明至镇江段,刀鲚血清样本甘油三酯、高密度脂蛋白和游离脂肪酸等血脂相关指标出现显著性变化(P<0.05),表明刀鲚在洄游前期脂质代谢活跃,脂肪应是其洄游及发育的主要供能物质;自镇江至安庆段,其代谢水平对洄游及性腺发育的能量需求逐渐适应,因此洄游后期刀鲚血清能量指标总体趋于平稳。     

Reproduction of sea urchin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Loxechinus albus</Emphasis> in Chiloé Island,Chile

ABSTRACT:   During 1986–1989, the seasonal maturation and gonad index (gonad weight/body weight × 100) of adult Loxechinus albus were examined at nine sites, and the appearance of four-armed echinopluteus larvae was investigated at three sites off the eastern coast of Chiloé Island, Chile. Spawning occurred during November–January when the gonad indices fell to a minimum, the number of mature specimens decreased and four-armed larvae appeared, corresponding to the rise in water temperature. The number of four-armed larvae appearing at the northern site was markedly less than that at the southern site. The sea urchins matured in January and February immediately after spawning at many sites and a high percentage of maturation lasted for a long period at some sites. These findings are considered to be associated with high food availability and annual narrow ranges of water temperature.     

Logit models for evaluating spawning performance of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

Broodstock evaluations are often measured by variables such as spawning success, fecundity, fertilization and hatching rates, usually expressed as percentage values. Outcomes are generally analysed as continuous random variables, assuming that they follow a normal distribution. Ordinary linear regression models (e.g. analysis of variance) as well as χ² analysis are typically applied. However, these models may not be the most appropriate as a number of test criteria may not be met. For example, spawning success outcomes are inherently discrete and non‐negative data and hence their distribution is not likely to be normal. As these models may not be the most appropriate, a case study using logit analysis as an alternative method for the evaluation of this type of data is presented by considering the response as binary data (spawned versus did not spawn). An exact version of logit analysis was performed due to the sparseness of the data. The results demonstrate that appropriate statistical models provide better insight into the cause–effect relationships that exist between control variables and the dependent variable (likelihood of spawning in this case). As would be expected, each strain of fish responded somewhat differently to the test variables. Changing the protein level of the diet from 32% to 42% or increasing the feeding frequency from three to six times per week either did not influence spawning or negatively affected spawning respectively. Additionally, older fish performed better than younger fish and the early spawning period was better than the later spawning period, regardless of strain. These responses, however, were only detected using logit analysis, which is a more sensitive test and would thus be recommended for this type of data.     

Induction of Out-of-Season Spawning of Pikeperch, Sander Lucioperca (L.)

Pikeperch were induced to spawn 3 months prior to the natural spawning period through photothermal and hormonal stimulation. Females (five specimens in each group) were stimulated with injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) once (200 IU kg^–1), twice (200 IU kg^–1, second dose after 48 h–400 IU kg^–1) or three times (200 IU kg^–1, after 24 h–200 IU kg^–1 and after another 24 h–200 IU kg^–1). The control group was injected once with 0.9% NaCl. The males were stimulated with a single hormone dose of 200 IU kg^–1. Eggs were obtained from all the hormonally treated fish. None of the control group females, which were only stimulated photothermally, ovulated any eggs. The time of ovulation was 66–71 h following the first injection, and the eggs viability until the eyed stage (from 71.5 to 77.5%) did not depend on the number of hormone doses (P > 0.05). The out-of-season spawning method described in this paper could be used to provide pikeperch larvae for intensive culture systems (recirculating water systems) before natural spawning season and to produce larger-sized pikeperch fingerlings for stocking.     

A basic experiment of coral culture using sexual reproduction in the open sea

Coral larvae, produced from a mass spawning event, were successfully settled on special stone settlement sticks and raised in situ for eventual transport to other reefs. The test area, Sekisei lagoon, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, is located close to the warm Kuroshio current and is surmised to be the source from which major Japanese corals are derived. A total of 131 settlement sticks, with small holes in their sides to increase protection from grazing (4 mm in diameter and approximately 5 mm deep), were deployed in the lagoon the day before the coral’s mass spawning. After 3 months, 61 sticks were recovered containing 71 corals, mostly in the holes. After 1 year, three corals were confirmed to be growing well and extending outside the holes of the three sticks out of 70 sticks left in the water at the lagoon site. They survived two potentially lethal conditions, that is, high water temperatures with associated extensive coral bleaching and continuous grazing pressure from predators. This procedure is applicable for large-scale coral transplantation, not only in Japan but also in other tropical countries.     

Changes in plasma somatolactin levels during spawning migration of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta)

Plasma somatolactin (SL) concentrations were examined in chum salmon in relation to gonadal maturation; immature salmon in the Bering Sea at various stages of maturation, and mature salmon during upstream migration caught at the ocean, bay and river. Plasma SL concentrations as well as plasma prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) levels in the immature fish caught in the Bering Sea were maintained essentially at similar levels. Plasma SL in mature salmon increased significantly from the fish in the ocean to the fish in the river in both sexes. Although all the fish had fully developed gonads, females completed ovulation while still in the bay, whereas final spermeation in males was achieved after entry into the river. Thus, no clear correlation was seen between plasma SL levels and final gonadal maturation. On the other hand, plasma PRL concentrations in both male and female fish were higher in the fish in the river than those in the ocean and bay, and plasma GH levels were higher in both sexes in the fish in the bay and river than those in the ocean. Plasma levels of triglycerides, glucose, free fatty acids and ionized sodium and calcium were also examined. Significant-negative correlations were seen between plasma SL and plasma ionized calcium in mature male salmon, and between plasma SL and plasma triglycerides in mature female salmon. Although our findings do not rule out the possibility of the involvement of SL in final maturation, the results indicate that SL seems to be involved at least in energy and/or calcium metabolism during the spawning migration.     

日本甲鱼人工繁育及病害防治技术

综述了日本亲甲鱼的选择、放养、产卵孵化技术以及各种甲鱼疾病的症状、病因和防治方法。