• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2001

Gonadal development, reproductive cycle, gonad index, meat weight rate, and first sexual maturity of the top shell, Omphalius rusticus were Investigated monthly by histological observations. Specimens were collected from the west coast of Korea during the period from January to December in 1999. O. rusticus is dioecious and oviparous. The gonad is widely situated on the surface of the digestive g1and located in the posterior spiral meat part in the shell. The ovary and the testis were composed of a number of oogenic follicles and several spermatogenic follicles, respectively. Ripe oocytes were approximately 120-130 $\mu$m in diameter. The meat weight rate peaked in June (27.7%), and then rapidly decreased in September (19.5%). Monthly changes in the gonad index in both sexes reached the maximum in June, and then sharply decreased in September. Percentages of first sexual maturity of female and male snails ranging from 9.0 to 9.9 mm in shell heights were 58.3% and 54.5%, respectively, and 100% in those over 11.0 mm in both sexes participated in reproduction. Reproductive cycle of this species can be categorized into five successive stages: in females, early active (October to April), late active (December to June), ripe (April to September), spawning (July to September) and recovery (September to January): in males, early active (November to March), late active (December to June), ripe (April to September), spawning (July to September) and recovery (September to December). Gonadal development, gametogenesis, reproductive cycle, and spawning were closely related to the seawater temperature.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.127-132
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• 1993

Ten-week-old White Leghorn immature males and females were exposed to four lighting regimens: a constant light (12L : 12D); repeated up and slow down (13 min. up and 1 min. down per day for 13 consecutive days, and repeated on two-week cycle) lighting; repeated slow up and down (1 min. up per day for 13 consecutive days and 13 min. down, and repeated on two-week cycle) lighting; and step-up (14 min. up every second week) lighting. At 15 weeks of age, significantly larger testis and comb weights and significantly higher concentrations of plasma LH and testosterone were observed in the cockerels under the repeated slow up and down lighting regimen than those under the other lighting regimens. At 20 weeks of age, significantly larger oviduct weights and significantly higher concentrations of plasma estradiol were observed in the pullets under the repeated up and slow down, and the step-up lighting regimens than those under the other lighting regimens.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 1999

Gonadal development, gametogenesis, reproductive cycle, and first sexual maturity of Reishia clavigera were investigated monthly from July 1998 to June 1999 through cytological and histological observations. R. clavigera had separate sexes, and was an internal fertilizer. The ma1e penis was located near the two tentacles. The ovary and testis were composed of a great number of oogenic lobules and spermatogenic tubules, respectively. The size of ripe oocyte ranged from 130 to 140 ${\mu}$m in diameter. The peripheral cytoplasm of the germinal vesicle of the ripe oocyte in many cases were surrounded by smaller yolk granules, while the eccentric cytoplasm was occupied with larger ones. The reproductive cycle of R. clavigera could be classified into five successive stages: early active, late active, ripe, spawning, and recovery. Spawning of females occurred from early July to August when the seawater reached above 24.8$^{\circ}C$. Spawning of males occurred from early June to August in the water above 22.8$^{\circ}C$. Minimum size for sexual maturity of both sexes was above 10.0 mm in shell height. Each egg capsule was a cylinder or spindle in shape, 4-6 mm in length and 1-2 mm in width. Colors of newly spawned egg capsules showed yellowish white or pale yellow, while those with veliger larvae showed pale black, and released larvae or dead egg capsules showed black violet. The fecundity in an egg capsule ranged from 70 to 91 eggs (mean＝80.28 eggs).

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.208-218
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• 2001

We have investigated the gonad index (GI), gonadal development, reproductive cycle, first sexual maturity, sex ratio, the number of spawned eggs and spawning frequency of the Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum. Samples were collected from the intertidal zone of Komso Bay, Korea from January to December in 1999. Monthly changes in the gonad index (GI) and condition index showed a similar pattern in the reproductive cycle. The spawning period was once a year between early June and early October, there was a spawning peak between July and August when seawater temperature was over $20^{\circ}C$. The reproductive cycle of this species can be categorized into five successive stages; early active (February to March), late active (April to May), ripe (April to August), partially spawned (June to October), and spent/inactive stage (August to March). Percentages of first sexual maturity of female and male clams of l5.1-20.0mm in shell length were $56.3\%$ and $60.0\%$, respectively, and $100\%$ for the clams >25. mm. The sex ratio of individuals >15.1 mm in shell length was about 1:1 $(\chi^2= 0.02,\;p>0.05)$. Number of the eggs released from each clam by the induction increased as the size of clam in terms of shell length increased. Mean number of the eggs from the second induction of the spawning was $75.35-84.30\%$ $(average\;79.81\%)$ of the number of the eggs released in the first spawning. Our data indicated that R. philippinarum in Komso Bay has one major spawning peak with over two minor spawning, and the interval of each spawning was estimated to be approximately 15-17 (average 16.5) days.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.253-260
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• 2008

Gonadal development, gametogenesis, reproductive cycle, spawning, relative weight of flesh, and onset of sexual maturity of the murex shell, Ceratostoma rorifluum, collected from the rocky intertidal zone of Daehang-ri, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do, Korea were investigated monthly from January to December 2005 both cytologically and histologically. The gonads were widely placed on the digestive gland located in the posterior spiral fleshy part in the shell. C. rorifluum had separate sexes, and was an internal fertilizer. The sex ratio of females to males was approximately 1:1. The ovary and testis contained a great number of oogenic follicles and spermatogenic tubules, respectively. The oogonia and fully ripe oocytes were $15-19{\mu}m$ and $150-160{\mu}m$ in diameter, respectively, and the cytoplasm of the ripe oocytes contained a number of yolk granules. The relative weight of flesh reached a maximum in August($39.35{\pm}0.40%$), and then decreased rapidly in November($32.75{\pm}1.20%$). The percentages of female and male snails at first sexual maturity with shell heights ranging from 12.1-14.0 mm were 60.0% and 52.9%, respectively, while 100% of the snails of both sexes with shell heights over 18.1 mm were reproductively active. Based on the gonadal development and histological observations, the reproductive cycle of the snail could be categorized into five successive stages: early active(December to May), late active(March to July), ripe(June to September), spawning(July to October), and recovery(October to March). C. rorifluum spawned once a year between July and October, and the majority of spawning occurred in September when the seawater temperature exceeded $23.5^{\circ}C$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2012

We have investigated the effect of melatonin (MLT) on specific growth rate (SGR% $day^{-1}$), condition factor (k), gonado-somatic-index (GSI), histological structures of gonads, serum as well as gonadal protein and lipid in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. MLT treatment in the dose of 25 ${\mu}g/L$ for three weeks reduced SGR% $day^{-1}$ ($0.9{\pm}0.04$) as compared to control ($1.23{\pm}0.026$). The GSI value was significantly (p<0.05) reduced to $1.77{\pm}0.253$ from control where it was $2.56{\pm}0.25$. Serum protein level increased from $9.33{\pm}2.90$ mg/ml (control) to $11.67{\pm}1.45$ mg/ml after MLT treatment while there was depressed serum triglycerides ($86.16{\pm}1.078$ mg/dl) and cholesterol ($126.66{\pm}0.88$ mg/dl) as compared to control values where these were $123.0{\pm}1.23$ mg/dl and $132.0{\pm}1.65$ mg/dl respectively. Histological structure of ovary showed small eggs of early perinucleolus stage after MLT treatment while testicular structure of control and MLT treated fish was more or less similar. It is concluded that exogenous melatonin suppressed SGR% $day^{-1}$, GSI, ovarian cellular activity, protein and lipid biosynthesis, in tilapia suggesting that melatonin is useful in manipulating the gonadal maturity in fishes.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2020

Changes of gonadal morphology and mRNA expression patterns of vitellogenin were investigated in Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii (Chondrostei) during its early gonadal maturation period. Early differentiations and morphological transitions of both ovaries and testes appeared to occur actively until the age of 3 years, however from then on, the maturation patterns to full maturity were largely gender-dependent, in which males showed a faster progression of maturation than did females while females experienced a steady-state progress with a lagged interval before entering the final maturation. Expression of vitellogenin mRNAs are closely correlated with transitional patterns of gonadal appearances. In both females and males, hepatic mRNA levels of vitellogenin exponentially increased in the earliest interval (up to 1-year-old). However, in subsequent periods, vitellogenin expression in females continued to increase with age, whereas in males, the expression stabilized at a younger age. Nevertheless, at the age older than or equal to 7-year-old, fully matured individuals showed a quite low level of vitellogenin expression in both females and males. Collectively, results from this study could be useful as a fundamental guideline to address the gonad maturation of this sturgeon species, which is helpful for making practical decisions about farming practices and management for caviar production on local sturgeon farms.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.5.1-5.7
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• 2016

The study was conducted to know the cyclic changes in gonadal maturation and to investigate the developmental stages of oocytes and testicular germ cells of an air-breathing fish, Channa striata. Fish were sampled monthly from lentic and lotic environments of three geographical locations of Bangladesh from December to November and the histological analysis of their gonad was done to evaluate the objectives. The highest mean GSI was $5.95{\pm}0.20$ for female in July and $0.14{\pm}0.01$ for male also in July showing that the gonadal development reached its peak during this month. The highest mean oocyte diameter was $1257.50{\pm}24.17{\mu}m$ observed in July implying that the oocyte reached maturity in this month. Histological study of ovary revealed the evidence of early yolk granule stage and late yolk granule stage from April to July. In case of male four stages of spermatogenesis were distinguished and spermatozoa were highly abundant in June and July. So the monthly pooled values of GSI and the analysis of gonadal histology indicated that the peak breeding season of C. striata occurred in July in the lentic and lotic environments. Samples collected from lentic and lotic habitats are suggestive of no difference in the development of the gonad. The results of the present study will be useful for selective breeding programme, conservation and sustainable fishery management of C. striata in its natural habitat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.449-458
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• 2013

This study investigated purplish Washington clam, Saxidomus purpuratus on its gonadal development, reproductive cycle and shell length (age) at 50% female group maturity from January to December 2011 in Jinhae Bay, Korea. This species is dioecious. The gonad index (GI) began to increase in January, reached the maximum value in May and to decrease in June, reached the minimum value in September then to increase slowly in October again. The reproductive cycle of the clams can be divided into five successive stages: the early active stage (Ea, from February to March), the late active stage (La, from January to March and October to December), the ripe stage (R, from January to May), the spawning stage (S, from June to December) and the degenerative and inactive stage (Ia, from January to February and November to December). The spawning periods were from June to December and the main spawning periods were from July to October. The shell length at 50% female group maturity (SL50) was estimated to be 63.6 mm, which can be converted as sexual maturity age of 2.2 year.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.279-292
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• 2017

We determined the maturity and growth of the Marbled sole, Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae based on monthly sampling in the West Sea of Korea from February 2009 to December 2010. Determination of sex of P. yokohamae was by gonadal inspection, and age and growth were determined by analyzing the otolith. The biological minimum size of P. yokohamae female was 24.5 cm. The seasonal changes in the ratio of a translucent zone to an opaque zone revealed that the end of the translucent zone of the otolith were annuli formed in May once a year. We compared 8 type growth equations with several length-at-age data. By using the length-at-monthly age data of these, the calculated von Bertalanffy growth equations were $L_t=41.7(1-e^{-0.47(t+0.24)})$ for females and $L_t=32.7(1-e^{-0.75(t+0.01)})$ for males. We estimated that 24.5 cm was the total length of 2 year old P. yokohamae spawns in the cold water season from January to April, and grows to 8 years old for females and 6 years old for males in the West Sea of Korea.