Dominant red colour morphology used to detect paternal contamination in batches of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) gynogens

Abstract. Gynogenetic (meiotic) Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) lines can be produced easily with the simple ultraviolet (UV) spermatozoan irradiation technique detailed in this study. One hundred per cent haploid gynogens were achieved by eggs fertilized with UV-irradiated (254 nm, 4.2 W/m² for 7 min) red tilapia spermatozoa. Survival of the haploid gynogens were 5% and all haploid fry were deformed. Hybridization between female O. mossambicus and male red tilapia produced 100% red offspring. Thus the red colour can be used as a marker to identify fish that are not gynogens. Activation of eggs with 7-min UV-irradiated spermatozoa from red tilapia and subsequent heat shocking at 42⁰C for 3 min resulted in 100% diploid gynogens (black).