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. 2012:2012:579051.
doi: 10.1100/2012/579051. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Temporal dynamics of reproduction of the neotropical fish, Crenicichla menezesi (Perciformes: Cichlidae)

Andréa Soares de Araújo  1 , Wallace Silva do Nascimento, Maria Emília Yamamoto, Sathyabama Chellappa
Affiliations

Temporal dynamics of reproduction of the neotropical fish, Crenicichla menezesi (Perciformes: Cichlidae)

Andréa Soares de Araújo et al. ScientificWorldJournal. 2012.

Abstract

The reproductive biology and the gonadal development cycle of the Neotropical cichlid fish, Crenicichla menezesi, is described. This species exhibits sexual dimorphism only during the spawning season. First sexual maturity of females is attained earlier than the males. Both macroscopic and histological investigations of ovaries and testes revealed four stages of gonadal maturation. Mean batch fecundity of females was 372 (± 10,41) of mature oocytes. This species is a partial spawner, with an extended spawning period. Monthly values of GSI and the condition factor are negatively correlated during the gonadal development cycle of this species.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Mean monthly distribution according to class intervals of total body length; (b) mean monthly distribution according to class intervals of body mass; (c) adjusted curve of empirical points of body mass and total body length of females; (d) adjusted curve of empirical points of body mass and total body length of males of C.  menezesi.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relative frequency of first gonadal maturation (L 50) of C.  menezesi.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Maturity stages of ovaries. (B) Maturity stages of testicles of C.  menezesi: (a) immature; (b) maturing; (c) mature; (d) partially spent (scale = 1 cm).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Histological aspects of oocytes developmental stages of C.  menezesi: (a) and (b) immature ovary showing oocytes with chromatin nucleolus (Phase I) arrows; chromatin perinucleolus oocytes (Phase II) ∗; (c) maturing ovary with reserve stock perinucleolus oocytes (Phase II), lipid vitellogenic stage oocytes (Phase III), lipid and protein vitellogenic stage oocytes (Phase IV); (d) and (e) mature ovary showing several batches of oocytes at different stages of development (Phase I to V); (f) partially spent stage showing oocytes phase III and atretic follicles (AFs).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Histological aspects of testicles of C.  menezesi showing different stages of development: (a) immature testes with primary spermatogonia (G1); (b) maturing testes with spermatocytes (C); spermatids (Es) and spermatozoa (EZ); (c) mature testes with spermatozoa (Ez) and seminiferous tubules-arrows; (d) partially spent stage with primary spermatogonia and seminiferous tubules-arrows.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) Relationship between fecundity and body mass; (b) relationship between fecundity and weight of gonads; (c) frequency of occurrence of oocytes of different class intervals of mature C.  menezesi.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Monthly frequency of occurrence of gonadal maturity stages of C.  menezesi (a) females and (b) males.
Figure 8
Figure 8
(a) Relationship between the GSI and K of C.  menezesi (a) females and (b) males.
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References

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