Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is an important cultured marine fish as well as a promising model fish for the study of sex determination mechanisms. In the present study, a protocol for artificial gynogenesis of half-smooth tongue sole was developed in order to identify the sex determination mechanism and to generate all-female stock. The optimal UV-irradiation dose for genetically inactivating sea perch spermatozoa was determined to be > or =30 mJ/cm(2). The optimal initiation time for cold shock of gynogenetic embryos was determined to be 5 min after fertilization, while the optimal temperature and treatment duration were determined to be 20-25 min at 5 degrees C. Chromosomes from common diploids, gynogenetic haploids, and diploids were analyzed. WW chromosomes were discovered in some of the gynogenetic diploids. The microsatellite marker was applied to analyze gynogenetic diploid fry. Among the 30 gynogenetic diploid fry, 11 fry contained only one allele, while 19 contained two alleles, which had the same genotype as their mother. The female-specific DNA marker was observed in four individuals out of ten gynogenetic diploid fry. Ploidy analysis of 20 putative gynogenetic fry showed them all to be diploid. Thus, a protocol for the induction of artificial gynogenesis has been developed for the first time in half smooth tongue sole, and the sex determination mechanism in the tongue sole was determined to be female heterogametic with the ZW chromosome.

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The genetic structure and variation of the artificial meio-gynogenetic population and common population of barfin flounder (Verasper moseri) were analyzed using eight microsatellite markers. A total of 29 alleles were detected, of which 23 alleles were in the artificial gynogenetic population while 29 alleles were in the control group. The average observed heterozygosity (H O ) of eight loci in the control group (0.526 8) was several times higher than that (0.185 8) in the gynogenetic population. The results indicate that the genetic diversity of the control group was much higher than that of the gynogenetic population of barfin flounder (Verasper moseri). Most loci significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) after Bonferroni correction (p ∧ 0.005 56) in the gynogenetic population, while four loci deviated from HWE in the control group. The coefficient of gene differentiation (G ST ) was 0.131 0, and the genetic distance was 0.171 8 between the two populations, suggesting a significant genetic differentiation between the two populations.