Reproductive effort in Chaenocephalus aceratus validated by gonadal histology: inshore sites serve as spawning grounds for some notothenioids

Novillo, Manuel; Moreira, Eugenia; Macchi, Gustavo J.; Barrera-Oro, Esteban

doi:10.1007/s00300-019-02571-8

Cited by 11 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…1). Spawning behavior here has been documented for Charcot's dragon fish Parachaenichthys charcoti with in-situ photographs (Barrera-Oro and Lagger 2010; Novillo et al 2018), and has been also suggested for the icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus (Novillo et al 2019). The present study based on macroscopic, histological and physiological evidence supports the hypothesis that Potter Cove is also a spawning ground for L. nudifrons.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The sheltered waters of Potter Cove have been suggested as a spawning site for some notothenioid species (Novillo et al 2019). The inner zone of the cove, bordered by the Fourcade Glacier, has a predominant soft-muddy bottom covered with glacial sediments where dropstones are common although algae are not (Quartino et al 2013;Campana et al 2018) (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Atretic oocytes were identified along L. nudifrons ovarian growth, as described in several notothenioid species (Everson et al 1991;Calvo et al 1999;Macchi and Barrera-Oro 1995;La Mesa et al 2003;Van der Molen and Matallanas 2003;Vanella et al 2005;Cali et al 2016;Novillo et al 2019), and which is a general feature in teleosts at different stages of oogenesis (Wallace and Selman 1981;Lubzens et al 2010). To avoid overestimations caused by the effect of atresia, some studies recommend performing fecundity assessments in fish that are total spawners when females are at the late vitellogenesis stage (May 1967;Hunter et al 1992;Kraus et al 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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New insights into reproductive physiology in Antarctic fish: a trial in Lepidonotothen nudifrons

et al. 2021

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The spatio-temporal delimitation of fish reproduction is essential for the appropriate management and conservation strategies in populations. Assessing this feature in Antarctic Ichthyology is particularly difficult because harsh environmental conditions limit sample collection. This study shows how physiology can contribute compelling evidence to understand reproduction in Antarctic fish using the notothenioid Lepidonotothen nudifrons as a model species. Sampling included 121 specimens caught at Potter Cove (PC), South Shetland Islands (SSI), from November to late March of 2016-2018. Gonadal macroscopic and histologic features are reported. Oocyte growth and change in testosterone and estradiol plasma levels throughout the ovarian growth of L. nudifrons adult females is provided. In March, females (n = 17) attained gonado-somatic index of 13-20% (16.73 ± 4.20), total fecundity of 2196-4652 oocytes/female, the leading clutch oocytes measured 1.7-2.1 mm, and males (n = 5) showed spermatozoids in their testicles. The leading clutch growth was significantly associated with photoperiod, with no diameter variation until the summer solstice, when it began to grow linearly with an estimated rate of 0.01 mm/day. Testosterone and estradiol increased together with the oocyte growing throughout the analysed months, with a higher rate of increase during March. The reproductive effort data, and especially the significant plasma level increase in both sex steroids observed in March, suggest that (1) females were at a late vitellogenesis stage, just prior to the oocyte final maturation, and thus L. nudifrons spawning period might begin in March at SSI; (2) PC is likely a spawning site for L. nudifrons, which indicates that nearshore areas are spawning grounds for some notothenioids.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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New insights into reproductive physiology in Antarctic fish: a trial in Lepidonotothen nudifrons

et al. 2021

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“…The phylogenetically derived Channichthyidae have relatively large eggs and low fecundities, although the range of values is wide (Figure 4). Consistent with its large maximum size (67 cm) and geographic distribution exclusively in the southern Scotia Arc, C. aceratus has the greatest fecundity among channichthyids, producing ~7,000–25,000 relatively large oocytes (4.3–4.8 mm) per female (Kock, 1989; Kock & Kellermann, 1991; North & White, 1987; Novillo et al, 2019; Riginella et al., 2016). Three other species of large size ranging from 50–60 cm, C. hamatus , N. ionah and C. dewitti (in order of increasing size), have circum‐Antarctic distributions on the continental shelf and slope.…”

Section: Fecundity and Egg Sizementioning

confidence: 98%

Parental care and reproductive strategies in notothenioid fishes

Mesa¹,

Llompart

Riginella

et al. 2020

Fish and Fisheries

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The adoption of parental care behaviours is the distinctive reproductive characteristic associated with the diversification and divergence of notothenioid fishes into an array of habitats in the subzero shelf and upper slope waters around Antarctica and sub‐Antarctic environments. These include a variety of pre‐ and post‐fertilization activities, including courtship behaviour and mate choice, linked to the development of sexually dimorphic traits, nest construction and egg guarding until hatch. Using published literature and new data, this review synthesizes and evaluates, in a phylogenetic context, information related to parental care, specifically sex‐specific morphological adaptations, nest location and structure, sexual differences in egg guarding and post‐spawning mortality, duration of egg incubation times and larval size at hatch. The existence of parental care in phylogenetically basal notothenioids is not documented and unlikely; however, the derived lineages of the Antarctic clade (cryonotothenioids), especially bathydraconids and channichthyids, clearly exhibit a trend towards larger egg size and reduced fecundity that are considered proxies for parental care behaviours. In addition, the reproductive strategies of cryonotothenioids exhibiting parental care show latitudinal patterns at intra‐ and inter‐specific levels. Antarctic species spawn in spring‐summer and have low fecundity, large egg size at spawning and large larvae at hatching. Sub‐Antarctic species spawn in autumn‐winter and have moderate to high fecundity, moderate egg size and larval size at hatching, whereas non‐Antarctic species spawn in winter and possess high fecundity, small egg size at spawning and small larvae at hatching.

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“…There are a few species, however, that are benthopelagic and undertake diel migrations from the ocean floor to the water column for feeding (Kock, 2005a). Icefish reproduction does not differ from other notothenioids and is characterized by late sexual maturity, long gametogenesis time, high reproductive effort with large eggs, relatively low fecundity, and reproductive events occurring from late summer to early winter (Kock, 2005a,b;Militelli et al, 2015;Riginella et al, 2016;Le François et al, 2017;Mintenbeck, 2017;Novillo et al, 2019). Many icefishes display elaborate reproductive behavior involving nesting and egg guarding (Desvignes et al, 2019 for review), similar to many other notothenioid species (Jones and Near, 2012;La Mesa et al, 2021).…”

Section: Icefishesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity and Change in Fish and Squid in the Southern Ocean

et al. 2021

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Southern Ocean ecosystems are globally important and vulnerable to global drivers of change, yet they remain challenging to study. Fish and squid make up a significant portion of the biomass within the Southern Ocean, filling key roles in food webs from forage to mid-trophic species and top predators. They comprise a diverse array of species uniquely adapted to the extreme habitats of the region. Adaptations such as antifreeze glycoproteins, lipid-retention, extended larval phases, delayed senescence, and energy-conserving life strategies equip Antarctic fish and squid to withstand the dark winters and yearlong subzero temperatures experienced in much of the Southern Ocean. In addition to krill exploitation, the comparatively high commercial value of Antarctic fish, particularly the lucrative toothfish, drives fisheries interests, which has included illegal fishing. Uncertainty about the population dynamics of target species and ecosystem structure and function more broadly has necessitated a precautionary, ecosystem approach to managing these stocks and enabling the recovery of depleted species. Fisheries currently remain the major local driver of change in Southern Ocean fish productivity, but global climate change presents an even greater challenge to assessing future changes. Parts of the Southern Ocean are experiencing ocean-warming, such as the West Antarctic Peninsula, while other areas, such as the Ross Sea shelf, have undergone cooling in recent years. These trends are expected to result in a redistribution of species based on their tolerances to different temperature regimes. Climate variability may impair the migratory response of these species to environmental change, while imposing increased pressures on recruitment. Fisheries and climate change, coupled with related local and global drivers such as pollution and sea ice change, have the potential to produce synergistic impacts that compound the risks to Antarctic fish and squid species. The uncertainty surrounding how different species will respond to these challenges, given their varying life histories, environmental dependencies, and resiliencies, necessitates regular assessment to inform conservation and management decisions. Urgent attention is needed to determine whether the current management strategies are suitably precautionary to achieve conservation objectives in light of the impending changes to the ecosystem.

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Reproductive effort in Chaenocephalus aceratus validated by gonadal histology: inshore sites serve as spawning grounds for some notothenioids

Cited by 11 publications

References 33 publications

New insights into reproductive physiology in Antarctic fish: a trial in Lepidonotothen nudifrons

New insights into reproductive physiology in Antarctic fish: a trial in Lepidonotothen nudifrons

Parental care and reproductive strategies in notothenioid fishes

Productivity and Change in Fish and Squid in the Southern Ocean

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