Reproductive performance and seasonal plasma sex steroid and metabolite levels in a captive wild broodstock of brill Scophthalmus rhombus L.

Abstract

This study reports egg production by captive wild brill Scophthalmus rhombus, a potential new flatfish species for Southern Europe-Mediterranean mariculture, as well as seasonal plasma levels of 17β–estradiol, testosterone, 11–ketotestosterone, proteins, triglycerides, glucose and lactate. A mean egg production of 102 800 eggs kg body weight−1 was achieved during the 2005 spawning period (January–March), although a continuous egg supply could only be obtained from some females, which had a higher relative fecundity (261 019±10 393 eggs kg−1) with 12–17 eggs batches released at a mean interval of 3.4 days. Most eggs were obtained with water temperatures ranging from 12 to 14°C, and under increasing temperatures (up to 2.9°C). Potential egg viability (70.1±2.9%), fertilization (72.2±3.4%) and hatching rates (31.9±3.9%) showed high variability, with potential viability tending to decrease as the water temperature increased (mainly between 16 and 17°C) and 0% hatching above 16.6°C. The endocrine changes that brill underwent during late gametogenesis, spawning and postspawning periods were similar to those reported in other Pleuronectiformes. This study establishes an important basis for further research on the biology and physiology of brill reproduction, directed towards the optimization of the breeding techniques used currently.