• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2015

Spatial variation in the reproductive effort of Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is often closely associated with variation in the seawater temperature and food availability, which determines gonad maturity and the quantity of gamates produced during spawning. Previous studies also have reported that severe infection by the protozoan parasite Perkinsus olseni exerts a negative impact on clam reproduction, retarding gonad maturation or decreasing the reproductive effort. In the present study, we investigated impacts of P. olseni infection on the reproductive condition of Manila clam during a spawning season. Histology revealed that 54% of female clams in Wando off the south coast were in spawning, while only 10% of the female from Gomso and 0% of the female from Seonjaedo in Gyeonggi bay off the west coast were engaged in spawning at the end of May in 2004. Ray's fluid thioglycollate media (RFTM) assay was applied to assess P. olseni infection and indicated that the infection intensity in Wando ($3,608,000{\pm}258,000cells/g$ wet tissue) was significantly higher than the levels in Gomso ($1,305,000{\pm}106,000cells/g$ wet tissue) and Seonjaedo ($1,083,000{\pm}137,000cells/g$ wet tissue, p < 0.001). The size of the ripe female follicle determined from histology was significantly smaller in Wando ($0.032mm^2$) compared to the sizes in Gomso ($0.059mm^2$) and Seonjaedo ($0.052mm^2$, p < 0.05). Accordingly, the number of ripe eggs in the follicle was significantly fewer among clams in Wando (14) compared to the numbers determined in Gomso (23) and Seonjaedo (22). The absolute quantity of egg in ripe clams from Wando (31.01 mg) was also significantly smaller than Seonjaedo (61.79 mg) and Gomso (133.3 mg). Quantity of total protein, carbohydrate, and lipid in the tissue in the Wando samples was significantly smaller than the quantities determined in Gomso and Seonjaedo (p < 0.001). The observed poor reproductive condition and proximate tissue composition of the females in Wando were, in part, explained by the extremely high level of the parasites, sapping the ability to store energy in the host tissues, which is used in tissue growth and the egg production.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.140-149
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• 2010

We determined the seasonal gonad maturation in Strongylocentrotus nudus sea urchins inhabiting an artificially enhanced seaweed forest along the Samchuk Coast of Korea from April 2006 to March 2007. A total of 30 sea urchins per month were collected from the study area, and gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad index (GI), egg diameter, and RNA/DNA variation were measured for each specimen. GSI values of female and male urchins achieved maximums of 17.6 and 17.0, respectively, in June. Based on histological studies, maximum GI values occurred in July (4.6 for females and 4.8 for males). A mean ovarian egg diameter of $73.7\;\pm\;14.2\;{\mu}m$ was measured in August; during the main spawning period in September, mean egg diameter reached a maximum of $74.2\;\pm\;17.8\;{\mu}m$. The RNA/DNA ratio and RNA content for both males and females showed a distinct peak during the ripe stage in July, but another peak occurred in the spring season from March to April, when urchins deposit protein into the nutritive phagocytes of immature gonads prior to gametogenesis. The reproductive cycle of S. nudus is divided into five stages: early active (December-May), late active (March-July), ripe (July-September), spent and degenerative (August-November), and inactive (October-February). Our continuous removal of sea urchins from the study area did not influence the reproductive cycle, as populations quickly recovered, and achieved normal gonad development cycle in the site.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2001

Spawning behavior of the Takifugu pardarlis (Temminck et Schlegel) was observed on the Jook-do coast in Tongyong from March 1997 to June 1999. The spawning ground was locted in the intertidal zone between Tongyong and Koje-do. Its bottom was mainly gravels and stones, and its depth was 0.5~1.0 m. Spawning season was from the end of the March to the middle of May. During the spawning season, the mature fishes formed school a of 10~30 individuals, then moved to the spawning ground together. When a mature female spawned eggs, the attendant males fertilized them at the same time. The fertilized eggs obtained from the parent fishes caught at the spawning ground were adhesive, opaque and spherical, measuring 1.14~1.24 mm (mean 1.19 mm, n = 50) in diameter with numerous tiny oil globules. Hatching period was about 205 hours after fertilization at water temperature of $18.0{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$. The newly hatched larvae were 2.92~3.10 mm (mean 3.01 mm, n = 20) in total length (TL), had a large yolk, and 11~13+14~15 = 25~28 myomeres. At 5 days, the larvae had attained 3.79~3.85 mm (mean 3.82 mm, n = 20) in TL and had transformed into the postlarval stage. At 15 days, the postlarvae had attained 7.78~7.90 mm (mean 7.84 mm, n = 20) in TL. At 21 days, had larvae attained 10.15~10.27 mm (mean 10.21 mm, n = 20) in TL and had reached the juvenile stage. All fins were formed with a complete set of fin rays having the following counts: dorsal fin rays 11~12; anal fin rays 9; pectoral fin rays 14~15; caudal fin rays 11~12.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.82-93
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• 1998

Monthly changes of the gonad follicle index (GFI), reproductive cycle, egg-diameter composition, first sexual maturity of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, were studied based on the samples which have been collected from the intertidal zone of Poryong west coast of Korea, from January to December, 1996. C. gigas, is dioecious, while a few individuals are alternatively hermaphroditic. Monthly variation of gonad follicle index (GFI) used for determination of spawning period, coincided with the reproductive cycle. GFI increased from April when seawater temperatures gradually increased and reached the maximum in May. And then, GFI sharply decreased from June to September due to spawning. Reproductive cycle of this species can be divided into five successive stages: in females, early active stage (March to April), late active stage (April to May), ripe stage (May to August), partially spawned stage (June to September) and spent/inactive stage (September to February); in males, early active stage (February to March), late active stage (April to May), ripe stage (May to September), partially spawned stage (June to September) and spent/ inactive stage (September to February). The diameter of fully mature eggs are approximately 50um. Spawning occurred from June to September, and two spawning peaks were observed in June and August when the seawater temperature was above $20^{\circ}C$. Percentages of the first sexual maturity of males of 20.1-25.0 mm in shell height were over $50\%$, while those of females of 25.1-30.0 mm in shell height were over $50\%$. All the males of > 30.1 mm and all the females of ^gt; 35.1 mm completed their first sexual maturity. The results suggest that C. gigas has a protandry phenomenon. Sex ratios of 919 oysters observed were 453 females $(49.29\%)$, 429 males $(46.68\%)$, 16 hermaphrodites $(1.74\%)$, and 21 indeterminate individuals $(2.29\%)$. In age class I, sex ratio of males were $64.00\%$, thus, a higher percentage than that of females. It was noted that $64.00\%$ of the young males (age class I) were more functional than females in age class I, but 2-3 year-old oysters showed higher percentage of females. Percentages of hemaphrodites in 2-3 year classes were relatively higher than those in other year classes. Histological pattern of hermaphrodites can be divided into two types: Type I (hermaphrodite having a number of newly formed developing oocytes on the oogenic tissues within a degenerating spermatogenic follicle after discharge of numerous spermatozoa) and Type II (hermaphrodite having two separate follicles in the same gonad).

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2004

We examined the effects of stimulants including sunlight and UV-irradiation on the spawning induction and early development of the noble scallop, Chlamys nobilis. The sunlight stimulation resulted in nuch faster spawning induction (100% success within 40 minutes) compared to UV-irradiation (100% success within 70 minutes). Early development of the scallop larva took place between 15$^{\circ}C$ to 3$0^{\circ}C$. The time to reach the early D-shaped stage was 63.5, 31.5, 18.5 and 17.0 hours at 15, 20, 25 and 3$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. The correlations between the water temperature-(WT) regimes and the time (t) required for each developmental stage are as follows. 2 cell stage: 1/t=0.0606WT-0.6194 ($r^2$=0.9791) 8 cell stage: 1/t=0.0304WT-0.3453 ($r^2$=0.9941) Morula: 1/t=0.0100WT-0.1049 ($r^2$=0.9663) Trochophore: 1/t=0.0058WT-0.0618 ($r^2$=0.9848) D-shaped larva: 1/t=0.0030WT-0.0282 ($r^2$=0.9731) These correlations indicated that the biological minimum temperature of the species is around 10.44$^{\circ}C$. The highest survival rate up to D-shaped larva at different water temperature was observed at $25^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2010

Effects of different salinity levels on spawning performance, embryonic development and early viability of a euryhaline medaka species, Oryzias dancena, were examined. O. dancena were able to spawn eggs in a wide range of salinity from 0 to 70$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$, however, the spawning frequency was lowered in complete freshwater (0$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$) and in highly salted water (70$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$). Fertilization success was negatively affected when the environmental salinity was higher than the salt concentration found in normal seawater. Embryonic viability and hatching success were also inversely related with the salinity levels. Typical abnormality was observed in developing embryos incubated at high salinities (30, 45 and 60$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$). In addition, the time to hatch was significantly delayed with increasing salinities: peak hatching occurred at 12~14 days post fertilization (dpf) in freshwater and at least at 17 to 18 dpf in 60$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$. Mean survival rates of the hatched larvae up to 7 days post hatching (dph) were at least 97% in salinity levels ranging from 0 to 30$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$. However, larvae reared in 45 and 60$^{\circ}/_{\circ\circ}$ experienced significant mortality, especially in the early phase, resulting in only 75% and 64% survival rates up to 7 dph, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2007

We investigated the maturity and spawning of black edged sculpin, Gymnocanthus herzensteini caught by gillnet in the East Sea from March 2003 to February, 2004. We analyzed monthly changes in maturity stages, gonadosomatic index (GSI), gonad weight (GW), egg diameter, fecundity, total length at 50% group maturity and sex ratio. The spawning period was December to February. The fecundity ranged form 8,814 eggs at 14.7 cm (TL) to 25,560 eggs at 24.4 cm (TL). The relationship between total length (TL) and fecundity (F) was $F=285.11TL^{1.4092}$ ($R^2$ =0.571) and fecundity increased with total length. The total length at 50% group maturity was estimated to be 15.25 cm. The sex ratio was 60 for female and 40 for male, where the female population was seen to be slightly predominant. For sex ratio by length class, male was a little predominant in small size, but female was 90% more than 24 cm.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Reproductive cycle, gonadal development and the spawning period of the Korean anchovy Coilia nasus were investigated by histologhical observations. Samples were collected at the coastal area of Geumgang dyke which is connected to Gunsan and Janghang, Korea, from February 2002 to January 2003. C. nasus is dioecious; the ovary consists of a pair of saccular structure with many ovarian lobules, and the testis consists of a pair of lobular structure with many testicular lobules and connected to the posterior seminal vesicle. Monthly changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) began to increase in April when seawater temperature increased and reached the maximum in June when the ovary was getting mature, the summer season of longer day length with higher water temperature. The reproductive cycle can be classified into five successive stage in females: early growing stage (February to March), late growing stage (March to April), mature stage (May to June), ripe and spent stage (June to July), and recovery and resting stage (July to January): in males, the cycle can be divided into four successive stages; growing stage (February to April), mature stage (May to July), ripe and spent (June to July), and recovery and resting stages (July to January). According to the frequency distributions of egg diameters in the spawning season. C. nasus is presumed to be summer spawning species and polycyclic species to spawn 2 times or more during the spawning season.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.208-215
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• 2013

Host species preference of Acheilognathus signifer for spawning in freshwater mussels was investigated at the part of the Dalcheon Stream (site 1) and the Gaedaecheon Stream (site 2) in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea from April to June (spawning period) 2011. The spawned mussel rate of A. signifer at the study site 1 (wild condition) was 63.6% in Lamprotula leai and 2.1% in Unio douglasiae sinuolatus. It was not found in Anodnta arcaeformis flavotincta and Lanceolaria grayana. The number of eggs, larvae, or both of A. signifer at the study site 1 (wild condition) was 1~41 ($12.0{\pm}9.21$) in L. leai and 6 in U. d. sinuolatus. As a result of experiment 1, A. signifer was only spawned in L. leai with 60% of spawned mussel rate and the number of eggs, larvae, or both was 1~19 ($6.8{\pm}5.44$). According to experiment 2, A. signifer was spawned in all mussels. Spawned mussel rate of A. signifer was 75.0% in L. leai, 42.9% in U. d. sinuolatus and 21.4% in A. a. flavotincta and the number of eggs, larvae, or both was 1~35 ($13.0{\pm}8.80$) in L. leai, 1~26 ($5.2{\pm}6.92$) in U. d. sinuolatus and 2~19 ($8.6{\pm}5.64$) in A. a. flavotincta. Experiment 3 showed A. signifer was solely spawned in L. leai and the number of egg was from 2 to 10 ($6.7{\pm}4.16$). This study confirmed A. singifer is not so much generalist as specialist. We found the most preference species for spawning in the mussels by A. signifer was L. leai.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.115-125
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• 2021

This study surveyed the population ecology of Acheilognathus chankaensis (Pisces: Acheilognathinae) in the vicinity of the Churyeongcheon (Stream) and Seomjingang (River) in Jeonbuk, Korea, from February 2006 to May 2007. The survey found the habits mainly in the slow-flowing waters having sand, mud, and gravel bottoms. Age groups estimated by the standard length-frequency distribution of the population indicated that the one-year-olds were 30-46 mm long, the two-year-olds were 47-58 mm long, the three-year-olds were 59-68 mm long, and the four-year-olds were longer than 69 mm. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) and the ratio of ovipositor length/standard length were the highest in March (♀: 12.9%, ♂: 5.0%) and in April (46.3%), respectively. The ratio of mature egg diameters that were 1.6 mm was highest in May (13.2%). The comprehensive analysis of spawning characteristics showed that the spawning season was from March to June with water temperatures in 11.5-22.5℃, and the sex ratio of female:male was 1:1.13. The fecundity in the ovaries and the number of mature eggs were 318±174.5 (50~583) and 220±139.2 (50~406), respectively. The size of the mature eggs was 2.04±0.110 mm on the long axis and 1.55±0.100 mm on the short axis for the study period. Gut contents of A. chankaensis were mainly phytoplankton such as the genera Fragilaria, Synedra, Navicular, Cymbella (Bacillariophyceae), and Cosmarium (Chlorophyceae).