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Reproductive performance of cultured Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. 1758 in Chile
Author(s) -
Estay F.,
Vergara C.,
Diaz N. F.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2109.1999.00398.x
Subject(s) - salmo , biology , fecundity , zoology , sperm , positive correlation , reproduction , body weight , negative correlation , semen , fishery , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , anatomy , medicine , population , demography , endocrinology , botany , sociology
Reproductive variables from 1529 females and 168 males of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. 1758 were recorded individually during the 1995 spawning season at a salmon farm in the south of Chile. The spawning period occurred in autumn and lasted 43 days, with a peak occurring in the first week of May. Average mature female and male body weights were 6.4 ± 0.9 kg and 7.0 ± 1.0 kg respectively. Average total and relative fecundity of females were 5998 ± 1404 eggs and 946 ± 210 eggs kg −1 respectively. Female body weight showed a similar pattern of correlation with total and relative fecundity observed in other salmonids. Average total and relative volume of ejaculate of males were 47.7 ± 32.8 cm 3 kg −1 and 7.26 ± 5.44 cm 3 kg −1 , respectively, with the latter being lower than the values reported in the literature. Furthermore, male weight showed a negative correlation with these variables, in contrast to a positive value reported for these correlations in the northern hemisphere. Ejaculate volume showed a positive correlation with date of stripping. Average sperm density (5.83 ± 3.75 sperm cm −3 10 −9 ) was lower than the values found in the literature and could be explained by the higher ejaculate volumes.