Histological assessment of seasonal gonad maturation of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L., 1758) in Antalya Bay of Mediterranean in Turkey

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BALCI B. A., AKTOP Y.

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH, vol.47, no.1, pp.63-71, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 47 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/09712119.2018.1564669
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.63-71
  • Keywords: Gonadal development, histological assessment, Mullus barbatus, Eastern Mediterranean, Antalya Bay, PAGRUS-PAGRUS TELEOSTEI, LINNAEUS, MATURITY, PORGY
  • Akdeniz University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In this study, gonadal changes of red mullet (Mullus barbatus L., 1758) were investigated by histologically in Antalya Bay of Eastern Mediterranean in Turkey. A total of 890 specimens were collected monthly between May 2015 and October 2016 from fishing boats. The age of 890 red mullets was found to range from 0(+) to VI+. Their gonads were dissected and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formaldehyde. They were embedded in paraffin blocks after histochemical processes. The sectioned tissue samples were stained with Haematoxylin-Eosin and Masson Trichrome. Two different stages in females and in males were observed according to gonadal development. Histologically, female individuals had in immature female (66 fish, 0(+)-IV+ ages), chromatin-nucleolus (67 fish, I+-VI+ ages), perinucleolus (63 fish, I+-IV+ ages), cortical alveoli (55 fish, I+-V+ ages), vitellogenesis (50 fish, I+-V+ ages), maturity (39 fish, I+-VI+ ages) and post-ovulation stages (59 fish, I+-VI+ ages). Male individuals had in spermatogenesis (96 fish, 0(+)-VI+ ages), spermiogenesis (97 fish, I+-IV+ ages), spermiation (85 fish, I+-VI+ ages), sperm release (84 fish, I+-VI+ ages) and resting stages (116 fish, I+-VI+ ages). Results show that the spawning season of M. barbatus is between May and September, and that egg diameters range from 31.00 +/- 15 to 428.00 +/- 40 mu m.