| Title: | Male Pheromones Induce Ovulation in Female Honeycomb Groupers (Epinephelus merra): A Comprehensive Study of Spawning Aggregation Behavior and Ovarian Development |
| Author(s): | Amagai T; Izumida D; Murata R; Soyano K; |
| Address: | "Institute for East China Sea Research, Organization for Marine Sciences and Technology, Nagasaki University, 1551-7 Taira-machi, Nagasaki 851-2213, Japan. Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 116 Katsurakoi, Kushiro 085-0802, Japan. Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 2073-4409 (Electronic) 2073-4409 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "This study characterizes the spawning phenomena of the honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra), which is a lunar-synchronized spawner that spawns a few days after full moon. To elucidate the aggregation characteristics of wild honeycomb groupers, the numbers of males and females at the spawning grounds were counted before and after the full moon. Approximately 20 males were consistently observed at the spawning grounds throughout the study period. Females appeared several days after full moon and rapidly increased in number, peaking four days after full moon (41 individuals). The maturation status of the females aggregating at the spawning grounds was investigated. The gonadosomatic index increased rapidly three days after full moon, and ovulation was confirmed. Individuals with ovulatory eggs were present for three days, after which the number of females at the spawning grounds decreased. Additionally, the role of males in final oocyte maturation (FOM) and ovulation in females during the spawning phase was investigated in captivity. FOM was induced in females reared in water with mature males, suggesting that male pheromones in the water induced FOM via activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This suggests that spawning at the natural spawning grounds was the result of male-female interactions via pheromones" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Bass/physiology Female Male Ovulation Pheromones Sex Differentiation Water final oocyte maturation gonadotropin honeycomb grouper lunar-synchronized spawning male-female interaction spawning aggregation spawning characteristics; |
| Notes: | "MedlineAmagai, Takafumi Izumida, Daisuke Murata, Ryosuke Soyano, Kiyoshi eng Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research # 19H03034/Japan Society for the Promotion of Science/ Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Switzerland 2022/02/16 Cells. 2022 Jan 30; 11(3):484. doi: 10.3390/cells11030484" |
