Early onset of embryonic mortality in sub-fertile families of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
J. W. Stoddard A , J. E. Parsons B and J. J. Nagler A CA Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-3051, USA.
B Troutlodge Inc., PO Box 1290, Sumner, WA 98390, USA.
C Corresponding author. Email: jamesn@uidaho.edu
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 17(8) 785-790 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD05087
Submitted: 2 August 2005 Accepted: 30 September 2005 Published: 16 December 2005
Abstract
Survival during early embryonic development is highly variable in oviparous fishes and appears to be related to events associated with the female at the time of ovulation and spawning. The goal of this study was to identify critical periods of mortality associated with early embryonic development in egg batches from female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that were checked for ovulation every 5–7 days. The experiment was designed to specifically remove post-ovulatory ageing and reduce paternal variability. Embryo viability in 269 single-pair-mated families was systematically tracked at the following five stages: second cleavage (0.5 days post fertilisation (dpf)), elevated blastula (2.5 dpf), embryonic shield (6 dpf), embryonic keel (9 dpf), and retinal pigmentation (19 dpf). At each of the five stages families with embryo viability assessments of <80% were classed as sub-fertile, whereas those with >80% embryo viability were classed as fertile. Embryo viability in sub-fertile families was distinctly reduced at 0.5 dpf, in contrast to fertile families, but remained constant from that point through to 19 dpf. These results suggest that the critical period of early embryonic mortality in sub-fertile families of rainbow trout parallels events that occur at or shortly after fertilisation and is independent of post-ovulatory aging.
Extra keywords: fish, reproduction.
Acknowledgments
Funding for this work was supported through US Department of Agriculture Aquaculture ID-WA grant no. 02428. The authors would like to thank Dr Tim Cavileer for his valuable comments and assistance with the fertilisation procedure. We also thank Micah Zuccarelli for his assistance with various husbandry practices.
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