Somatic energy content and histological analysis of the gonads in Antarctic fish from the Scotia Arc

Vanella, Fabián Alberto; Calvo, Jorge; Morriconi, Elba; Aureliano, Daniel Ramón

doi:10.3989/scimar.2005.69s2305

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Indeed, maturing or gravid females of both Trematomus species are characterized by having group synchronous ovaries (sensu Wallace & Selman 1981), in which the more advanced batch of vitellogenic (T. loennbergii) or mature (T. eulepidotus) oocytes that will be ovulated in the current spawning season are widely separated in size from the smaller previtellogenic and endogenous vitellogenic oocytes, which form the reserve stock for the next spawning season. As a result, spawning occurs once a year from sexual maturity onward (or iteroparity), as is generally reported in Antarctic fish (Vanella et al 2005). On the basis of this pattern of oocyte maturation, females of both species probably release their mature eggs in a single spawning event or over a short period of time, and can be considered total spawners (Holden & Raitt 1974).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

The reproductive biology of two epibenthic species of Antarctic nototheniid fish of the genus Trematomus

2008

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Trematomus eulepidotus and T. loennbergii are two of the most common epibenthic fish in the waters of the High Antarctic continental shelf. Since the reproductive biology of these species has not been studied in the Ross Sea, we provide a macroscopic and histological analysis of the reproductive effort and gonadal development in both sexes. Most samples were collected during benthic trawl surveys in the south-western Ross Sea in the 1996 and 1997 summer seasons. The aim of the study was to define the reproductive characteristics of these two sympatric species and to examine the hypothesis that different reproductive strategies mitigate interspecific competition. We found that, in common with most Antarctic notothenioids, both species possess a suite of similar reproductive strategies including delayed sexual maturity, prolonged gametogenesis, group-synchronous oocyte maturation, a single spawning event per year and iteroparity. Both species show a comparable reproductive effort in terms of potential fecundity with between 2000 and 20 000 eggs per female per season. Nevertheless, the two species exhibited a considerable difference in the timing of the breeding season, spawning in summer (T. eulepidotus) and in autumn (T. loennbergii). This gives rise to a mismatch in the time of appearance of larvae in the environment and probably leads to reduced competition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

The reproductive biology of two epibenthic species of Antarctic nototheniid fish of the genus Trematomus

2008

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“…Evidence of atresia or oocyte reabsorption was found in both recovering and maturing females of A. nudiceps. This phenomenon is also quite common in Antarctic notothenioids (Calvo et al 1999, La Mesa et al 2003, Van der Molen & Matallanas 2003, Vanella et al 2005, probably playing an important role in the size-segregation of oocyte batches at early and advanced maturation stages through the selective reabsorption of oocytes of intermediate size (Rae & Calvo 1996). Another interesting feature observed in A. nudiceps concerns an apparent delay of vitelline homogenisation in mature oocytes compared to several species of channichthyids, in which this process starts long before oocyte growth is completed (Shandikov & Faleeva 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Gametogenesis in the dragonfishes Akarotaxis nudiceps and Bathydraco marri (Pisces, Notothenioidei: Bathydraconidae) from the Ross Sea

2007

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We analysed histological characteristics of gonads and reproductive effort of the small deep-living dragonfishes Akarotaxis nudiceps (Waite) and Bathydraco marri Norman collected in the south-western Ross Sea. From a macroscopic point of view, most specimens of B. marri were juveniles in early stages of gonad maturity, except for a maturing female. Conversely, the sample of A. nudiceps was composed of both immature and adult fish in different stages of maturity. A single A. nudiceps female was mature with a gonadosomatic index of 9.8%. Its absolute and relative fecundity was 260 oocytes and 31.5 oocytes g−1 TW, respectively, with a mean size of ripe oocytes of 1.9 mm. Gametogenesis in both species closely resembled that observed in other notothenioids, with females possessing two well-defined groups of oocytes. One group consisted of previtellogenic oocytes as a reserve stock while the other group was maturing oocytes to be ovulated in the current spawning season. A distinctive feature of oogenesis in recovering and maturing females of A. nudiceps was the presence of both postovulatory follicles in different stages of reabsorption and atretic oocytes. Based on low absolute fecundity, it is possible that A. nudiceps provides parental care and egg guarding.

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“…1b). This kind of energy transference from muscle and liver to the gonads has previously been reported for other species of notothenioids (Kamler 2001;Vanella et al 2005) and non-notothenioids (Fiorin et al 2007;Zaboukas et al 2006). Analysis of the ED G in P. tessellata separated by the sex of the individuals showed a clear influence of a well known physiological mechanism (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 72%

Energy density of sub-Antarctic fishes from the Beagle Channel

Fernández

Lattuca

Boy

et al. 2008

Fish Physiol Biochem

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The energy density (ED) of nine species of sub-Antarctic fishes was estimated by calorimetry. The fish, seven notothenioids, one atherinopsid and one galaxiid, represents some of the more abundant species in the ichthyofauna of the Beagle Channel. Principal-components analysis (PCA) of the ED of the different organs/tissues indicated that PC(1) and PC(2) accounted for 87% of the variability. Separation along PC(1) corresponded to differences in muscle and liver energy densities whereas separation along PC(2) corresponded to differences in the ED of the gonads. Differences between species were significant except for P. sima. Inclusion of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) as an explanatory variable enabled us to establish the existence of energy transfer from muscle and liver to the gonads in ripe P. tessellata females. Total ED values varied between 4.21 and 6.26 kJ g(-1), the pelagic Odontesthes sp. being the species with the highest ED. A significant relationship between ED and muscle dry weight (DW(M)) was found for all the species except P. tessellata. These data are the first direct estimates of ED of fishes from the Beagle Channel.

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Somatic energy content and histological analysis of the gonads in Antarctic fish from the Scotia Arc

Cited by 22 publications

References 32 publications

The reproductive biology of two epibenthic species of Antarctic nototheniid fish of the genus Trematomus

The reproductive biology of two epibenthic species of Antarctic nototheniid fish of the genus Trematomus

Gametogenesis in the dragonfishes Akarotaxis nudiceps and Bathydraco marri (Pisces, Notothenioidei: Bathydraconidae) from the Ross Sea

Energy density of sub-Antarctic fishes from the Beagle Channel

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