Tissue Carotenoids in Prespawning and Spawning Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)

Abstract

Spawning sockeye salmon from the Wauk Wash River, B.C., contained 65% less carotenoid than prespawning fish taken at sea near Juneau, Alaska. Free astaxanthin in the muscle of spawning fish was only 1% of the amount noted for prespawning fish. Ninety-five percent of the pigment retained by the spawning males was located in the skin as esters and 85% of the pigment of spawning females was deposited in the eggs as free astaxanthin.

Carotenoids in fish. XXVI. Pungitius pungitius (L.) and Gasterosteus aculeatus L. (Gasterosteidae)

“…As is known, an intense red colour in fish is frequently due to the prevalence of astaxanthin, as has been found in Salmo salar specimens (Czeczuga, 1975), Oncorhyvnchus spp. (Kanemitsu & Aoe 1958;Crozier, 1970;Jarzombek, 1970;Czeczuga, 1979a). The red coloration of some parts of the body of fish may however result from the presence of another ketocarotenoid.…”

Interaction “nutrition-reproduction” in fish

“…However, pigments in the muscles are not in sufficient quantity to provide all those deposited in ovaries and the fish must obtain them direct from natural food (Steven 1949). On the contrary, Crozier (1970) reported that muscle reserves were largely excedentary in sockeye salmon. In rainbow trout milt, Czeczuga (1979) also established the presence of carotenoid pigments but in low concentration.…”

“…The accumulation of carotenoid pigments, mainly astaxanthin (Kitahara 1984), in gonads, ovules and eggs of salmonids is a well known phenomenon (Steven 1949;Crozier 1970). In brown trout, almost all muscle pigments are mobilized.…”

“…In rainbow trout milt, Czeczuga (1979) also established the presence of carotenoid pigments but in low concentration. In males, pigments are indeed transferred to skin (Crozier 1970). This increase in the pigmentation of the skin in males is regarded as having a part in the reproductive behaviour (Krinsky 1971 ;Mikulin and Soin 1975).…”

Carotenoid Decomposition in Chum SalmonOncorhynchus ketaLiver Tissue during Spawning Migration

“…No such reports have been published except for the studies by Crozier. 5 )He found that more than 60% of the carotenoids in sockeye salmon disappeared during spawning migration. This might suggest that carotenoids in fish are decomposed by some tissue, possibly the liver, during spawning migration.…”