| Abstract: | We sought to determine the organs that function as phosphorus (P) reservoirs for supplying this mineral to the ovary during the sexual maturation of the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica (Anguilliformes). The P content of the ovary increased markedly during sexual maturation despite the lack of an extrinsic P supply (e.g., diet). This phenomenon suggests that the P that accumulated in the ovary was derived from other parts of the eel. In addition, the P content of bone dramatically decreased during maturation, as did the total bone weight. This result suggests that resorption of bone occurred during the sexual maturation of the eel. Whereas the P content and mass of muscle markedly decreased during maturation, the Ca and P contents of the skin (which was scaled) did not. The total (whole-fish) P content was constant throughout maturation. Together, our results suggest that almost all of the P lost from bone and muscle is incorporated in the ovary and that bone and muscle function as P reservoirs during the sexual maturation of the Japanese eel. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
