Maternal effects on fecundity and egg quality of the Patagonian stock of Argentine Hake (Merluccius hubbsi)

The influences of age, size, and condition of spawning females on fecundity and oocyte quality were analyzed for the Patagonian stock of Argentine Hake (Merluccius hubbsi). Samples of mature females were collected in the spawning area as part of 2 research surveys conducted in January 2010 and 2011, during the peak of the reproductive season. Batch fecundity (BF) ranged between 40,500 (29 cm total length [TL]) and 2,550,000 (95 cm TL) hydrated oocytes, and was positively correlated with TL, gutted weight, age, hepatosomatic index (HSI), and the relative condition factor (Kn). Relative fecundity ranged between 85 and 1040 hydrated oocytes g–1 and showed significant positive relationships with gutted weight, HSI, and Kn; however, coefficients of determination were low for all regressions. Dry weights of samples of 100 hydrated oocytes ranged between 1.8 and 3.95 mg and were positively correlated with all variables analyzed, including batch and relative fecundity. Multiple regression models created with data of the morphophysiological characteristics of females supported maternal influences on fecundity and egg weights. Within the studied size range (29–95 cm TL), larger individuals had better somatic and egg condition, mainly revealed by higher HSI and hydrated oocytes with larger oil droplets (275.71μm [standard error 1.49]). These results were associated with the higher feeding activity of larger females during the spawning season in comparison with the feeding activity of young individuals (<5 years old); the better nutritional state of larger females, assumed to result from more feeding, was conducive to greater production of high-quality eggs.

太行花某些生殖生物学特性的研究

本文通过原产地生境分析、有性生殖和无性生殖调查以及胚胎学研究等，研究了太行花的生殖生物学特性。 太行花分布在太行山东缘，其分布特点为：1、在海拔600-1500米之间，呈间断、零星、条带状分布。 2、主要生长在阴坡裸露崖壁的缝穴中。它的生境条件十分恶劣，气候季节性变化明显，夏季炎热多雨，冬季干燥寒冷;着生太行花的崖缝中只含极少土壤，保水性极差，有机质贫乏，含钙极高。太行花群落植物种类稀少，在调查的三个样地中仅有15个种，分属于9个科、11个属。 生殖途径调查表明：太行花具完整的两性花和单性雄花，两性花能发育成熟最终形成种子，萌发产生新植株，进行有性生殖;由于原产地恶劣的生境条件，有性生殖能力很弱。太行花还通过分蘖茎来进行无性生殖。分蘖茎产生于茎基部，当它出叶成苗并在顶芽基部上产生根后，与母株断开形成新植株。在原产地太行花种群的扩大和繁衍主要依靠无性生殖途径。 通过细胞学的研究，太行花具如下胚胎学特性：花药具有四个小孢子囊;孢原为单列细胞;花药壁由表皮、药室内壁、中层和绒毡层组成，药壁发育为基本型;减数分裂中胞质分裂为同时型;小孢子四分体是四面体;两细胞成熟花粉。胚珠倒生，单珠被，厚珠心;大孢子四分体线状排列;合点端单孢子发育形成8核蓼型胚囊;珠孔端受精;初生胚乳核先于合子分裂，核型胚乳，紫菀型胚;聚合瘦果，成熟时腹缝半裂。在这些特性中瘦果腹缝半裂是蓇葖果演变为瘦果的过渡类型特征。 太行花生殖生物学特性研究证明，虽然太行花正处于濒危状态中，但有性生殖和无性生殖的功能并未丧失，特别是大小孢子的发生和发育、受精和胚胎发生都具有正常的细胞学过程。因此，原产地太行花濒危的原因被认为是由于生殖过程所必需的条件不能满足的结果，也就是说特殊的生境阻碍了有性生殖和无性生殖的过程，从而导致个体数量减少和群体停止扩展。为了防止太行花灭绝，将它迁移到另一个适合于它繁殖的地方去，可能是合理的。

Abundance of cetaceans in the oceanic northern Gulf of Mexico from 2003 and 2004 ship surveys

The Gulf of Mexico (GMx) is a subtropical marginal sea of the western North Atlantic Ocean with a diverse cetacean community. Ship-based, line-transect abundance surveys were conducted in oceanic waters (>200 m deep) of the northern GMx within U.S. waters (380,432 square km) during summer 2003 and spring 2004. Data from these surveys were pooled and minimum abundance estimates were based on 10,933 km of effort and 433 sightings of at least 17 species.The most commonly sighted species (number of groups) were pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata (115); sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus (85); dwarf/pygmy sperm whale, Kogia sima/breviceps (27); Risso’s dolphin, Grampus griseus (26); and bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus (26). The most abundant species (number of individuals; coefficient of variation) were S. attenuata (34,067; 0.18); Clymene dolphin, S. clymene (6,575; 0.36); T. truncatus (3,708; 0.42); and striped dolphin, S. coeruleoalba (3,325; 0.48). The only large whales sighted were P. macrocephalus (1,665; 0.20) and Bryde’s whale, Balaenoptera edeni (15; 1.98). Abundances for other species or genera ranged from 57 to 2,283 animals. Cetaceanswere sighted throughout the oceanic northern GMx, and whereas many species were widely distributed, some had more regional distributions. Compared to abundance estimates for this area based on 1996-2001 surveys, the estimate for S. attenuata was significantly smaller (P <0.05) and that for the spinner dolphin, S. longirostris, appeared much smaller. Also, P. macrocephalus estimates were based on less negatively biased estimates of group-size using 90-minute counts during 2003 and 2004.

Fecundity and spawning season of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) in South Carolina estuaries

Fecundity in striped mullet (Mugil cephalus) from South Carolina correlated highly with length and weight, but not with age. Oocyte counts ranged from 4.47 × 105 to 2.52 × 106 in 1998 for fish ranging in size from 331 mm to 600 mm total length, 2.13 × 105to 3.89 × 106in 1999 for fish ranging in size from 332 mm to 588 mm total length, and 3.89 × 105 to 3.01 × 106 in 2000 for fish ranging in size from 325 mm to 592 mm total length. The striped mullet in this study had a high degree of variability in the size-at-age relation-ship; this variability was indicative of varied growth rates and compounded the errors in estimating fecundity at age. The stronger relationship of fecundity to fish size allowed a much better predictive model for potential fecundity in striped mullet. By comparing fecundity with other measures of reproductive activity, such as the gonadosomatic index, histological examination, and the measurement of mean oocyte diameters, we determined that none of these methods by themselves were adequate to determine the extent of reproductive development. Histological examinations and oocyte diameter measurements revealed that fecundity counts could be made once developing oocytes reached 0.400 μm or larger. Striped mullet are isochronal spawners; therefore fecundity estimates for this species are easier to determine because oocytes develop at approximately the same rate upon reaching 400 μm. This uniform development made oocytes that were to be spawned easier to count. When fecundity counts were used in conjunction with histological examination, oocyte diameter measurements, and gonadosomatic index, a more complete measure of reproductive potential and the timing of the spawning season was possible. In addition, it was determined that striped mullet that recruit into South Carolina estuaries spawn from October through April.