Premium
Synchronous Hermaphroditism and Self‐Fertilization in a Captive Shortnose Sturgeon
Author(s) -
Henne James P.,
Ware Kent M.,
Wayman William R.,
Bakal Robert S.,
Horváth Ákos
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
transactions of the american fisheries society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1548-8659
pISSN - 0002-8487
DOI - 10.1577/t05-067.1
Subject(s) - human fertilization , biology , acipenser , sperm , zoology , sturgeon , fishery , endangered species , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , anatomy , botany , habitat
The shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum is a federally listed endangered fish species endemic to the East Coast of North America, where captive fish are cultured for recovery efforts. During routine evaluations of broodfish for spawning potential, a single hermaphroditic shortnose sturgeon was discovered. Motile sperm and approximately 7,600 eggs were manually stripped from the individual simultaneously. Eggs were fertilized with the fish's own sperm (self‐fertilized) and with the sperm of two unrelated males (cross‐fertilized). Both self‐ and cross‐fertilization procedures were successful. Viable fry hatched from 9% of the eggs produced by self‐fertilization and from 2% of those produced by cross‐fertilization. Fry survival through 180 d posthatch was 1% in the self‐fertilization treatment and 11% in the cross‐fertilization treatment. Endoscopic evaluation of gonads confirmed the presence of ovotestes with discrete regions of active testicular and ovarian tissues. The present account provides empirical evidence including gross anatomical and histological photodocumentation that advances knowledge of this rare condition in a fish species threatened with extinction.