Testicular structure and spermatogenesis of Amazonian freshwater cururu stingray Potamotrygon cf. histrix.

The cururu stingray Potamotrygon cf. histrix, a new and endemic Amazonian freshwater species, presents appropriate characteristics for fish keeping and is exploited from its natural environment. The present study identified the testicular structure and spermatogenesis of this species. Gonads from adult male specimens were dissected, fixed and processed for histological analysis. The testes were of testicular/epigonial type. The presence of germinal papillae was observed in the upper portion of organ with primordial germ cells and Sertoli cell precursors. The testis was lobular with zonal organization and cystic gametogenesis, with the occurrence of spermatoblasts. The Sertoli cells underwent morphological modifications over the course of gamete formation. The spermatozoids had long heads and were spiraled on their own axis. Information on the reproductive biology will serve as basis for studies on the reproduction and phylogeny of this peculiar group of cartilaginous fish.

Desenvolvimento gonadal de fêmeas de matrinxã, Brycon amazonicus, submetidas a restrição alimentar / Gonadal development of matrinxã, Brycon amazonicus, females submitted to feed restriction

O presente estudo avaliou o efeito de ciclos de restrição alimentar e realimentação (2/3 dias), aplicados durante seis meses antes da desova, no desenvolvimento gonadal de matrinxã. Na ocasião da desova, fêmeas alimentadas diariamente e submetidas ao regime alimentar experimental, selecionadas para a indução hormonal, foram sacrificadas para retirada das gônadas e do fígado, com os quais se calculou o IGS (índice gonadossomático) e o IHS (índice hepatossomático), sendo os ovários processados para análise histológica. Não houve alteração no peso relativo dos ovários e fígado, e o desenvolvimento gonadal não foi afetado pelo esquema alimentar. Os valores de IGS foram de 5,09±4,98 por cento e 9,79±4,17 por cento e os de IHS foram de 0,84±0,07 por cento e 0,91±0,11 por cento, para as fêmeas controle e experimentais, respectivamente, sem diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Os ovários de peixes dos dois grupos apresentaram as mesmas características do estádio maduro, com predominância de ovócitos na fase final de maturação, repletos de vitelo. O estudo indica que a restrição alimentar não afetou a preparação das fêmeas para a reprodução e que ciclos adequados de restrição e realimentação poderão ser aplicados na criação do matrinxã, assegurando menores custos de produção.

The present study evaluated the effect of cycles of feed restriction and refeeding (2/3 days) during 6 months before the spawning on the gonadal development of matrinxã. At the spawning time, females selected to hormonal induction were killed for gonad and liver removal and GSI (gonadosomatic index) and HSI (hepatosomatic index) were calculated. Ovaries were processed for histological analysis. The feeding regime did not alter GSI and HSI and the gonadal development. The values of GSI were 5.09±4.98 percent and 9.79±4.17 percent, and of HSI were 0.84±0.07 percent and 0.91±0.11 percent, in control and experimental females, respectively, without significant difference between groups. Ovaries from both fish groups showed the same charachteristics of the mature stage, with predominance of oocytes in the final phase of maturation, presenting large amount of yolk. The study indicates that the feed restriction did not affect the matrinxã ability to reproduction and that cycles of feed restriction and refeeding can be used in matrinxã farming leading to lower production costs.