Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of annual reproductive cycle in male sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus using histology and ultrasound imaging

  • Published:
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate seasonal testicular development in the cultured sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus. During annual sexual cycle of male sterlet, stages of gonad maturity were examined using histology and ultrasonography approaches. The histology identified males at different stages of maturity among fish sampled monthly. According to the seasonal changes in the testes, reproductive cycle was divided into four stages including resting, pre-spawning, spawning, and post-spawning. The histology examination revealed considerable variation in testicular developmental stages. These changes were identified based on persistent spermatogenesis and asynchronous gonad development in testes, showing that regulation of annual gonadal cycle is influenced by season. Also, the results obtained using ultrasound suggested that reproductive stages can be identified based on morphology and tissue echogenicity. At each phase of testicular development, gonadosomatic index (GSI) and number of spermatogenic cysts were variable. The present study focused on determination of annual reproductive development in cultured male sterlet which clearly identifies reproductive stage in each season as valuable guide for future researches on reproductive biology of sterlet. This study presents basic knowledge about reproductive biology in sterlet contributing to optimal broodstocks management that allows comparison of reproductive development among sturgeon species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alavi SMH, Rodina M, Gela D, Linhart O (2012) Sperm biology and control of reproduction in sturgeon:(I) testicular development, sperm maturation and seminal plasma characteristics. Rev Fish Biol Fish 22(3):695–717

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albers JL, Wildhaber ML, DeLonay AJ (2013) Gonadosomatic index and fecundity of Lower Missouri and Middle Mississippi River endangered pallid sturgeon estimated using minimally invasive techniques. J Appl Ichthyol 29(5):968–977

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barannikova IA, Bayunova LV, Semenkova TB (2004) Serum levels of testosterone, 11-ketotestosterone and oestradiol-17b in three species of sturgeon during gonadal development and final maturation induced by hormonal treatment. J Fish Biol 64:1330–1338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bemis WE, Kynard B (1997) Sturgeon rivers: an introduction to acipenseriform biogeography and life history. Environ Biol Fish 48:167–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blythe B, Helfrich LA, Beal WE, Bosworth B, Libey GS (1994) Determination of sex and maturational status of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) using ultrasonic imaging. Aquaculture 125:175–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryan MLW, Papoulias DM, DeLonay AJ, Tillitt DE, Annis ML (2007) Estimation of gonad volume, fecundity, and reproductive stage of shovelnose sturgeon using sonography and endoscopy with application to the endangered pallid sturgeon. J Appl Ichthyol 23(4):411–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chebanov MS, Galich EV (2009) Ultrasound diagnostics for sturgeon broodstock management. Krasnodar, Rusko, Kuban State University, Russia Education-South press

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen XH, Zhang YZ, Wei QW, Liu ZG, Li LX, Qiu S (2011) Observations on gonadal development of 7–11 year old Chinese sturgeon Acipenser sinensis cultured in freshwater. J Appl Ichthyol 27(2):648–650

  • Colombo RE, Garvey JE, Wills PS (2007) Gonadal development and sex-specific demographics of the shovelnose sturgeon in the Middle Mississippi River. J Appl Ichthyol 23:420–427

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colombo RE, Willis PS, Garvey JE (2004) Use of ultrasound imaging to determine sex of shovelnose sturgeon. N Am J Fish Manag 24:322–326

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Craig JM, Papoulias DM, Thomas MV, Annis ML, Boase J (2009) Sex assignment of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fluvescens) based on plasma sex hormone and vitellogenin levels. J Appl Ichthyol 25:60–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dettlaff TA, Ginsburg AS, Schmalhausen OI (1993) Sturgeon fishes: developmental biology and aquaculture, vol XIII. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 1–300 (ISBN 3-540- 54744-4)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Divers SJ, Boone SS, Hoover JJ, Boysen KA, Killgore KJ, Murphy CE, Camus AC (2009) Field endoscopy for identifying gender, reproductive stage and gonadal anomalies in free-ranging sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus) from the lower Mississippi River. J Appl Ichthyol 25:68–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doroshov SI, Moberg GP, Van Eenennaam JP (1997) Observations on the reproductive cycle of cultured white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus. Environ Biol Fish 48:265–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du H, Zhang X, Leng X, Zhang S, Luo J, Liu Z, Wei Q (2017) Gender and gonadal maturity stage identification of captive Chinese sturgeon, Acipenser sinensis, using ultrasound imagery and sex steroids. Gen Comp Endocrinol 245:36–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feist G, Van Eenennaam JP, Doroshov SI, Schreck CB, Schneider RP, Fitzpatrick MS (2004) Early identification of sex in cultured white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, using plasma steroid levels. Aquaculture 232:581–590

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Flynn SR, Benfey TJ (2007) Sex differentiation and aspects of gametogenesis in shortnose sturgeon Acipenser brevirostrum Lesueur. J Fish Biol 70:1027–1044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golpour A, Pšenička M, Niksirat H (2016a) Ultrastructural localization of intracellular calcium during spermatogenesis of sterlet. (Acipenser ruthenus). Microsc Microanal 22:1155–1161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golpour A, Pšenička M, Niksirat H (2016b) Subcellular localization of calcium deposits during zebrafish (Danio rerio) oogenesis. Micron 80:6–13

  • Golpour A, Pšenička M, Niksirat H (2017) Subcellular distribution of calcium during spermatogenesis of zebrafish, Danio rerio. J Morphol 278(8):1149–1159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henne JP, Ware KM, Wayman WR, Bakal RS, Horvath A (2006) Synchronous hermaphroditism and self-fertilization in a captive shortnose sturgeon. Trans Am Fish Soc 135:55–60

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horvath L, Peteri A, Kouril J (1986) Successful sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus L., propagation with synthetic LH-RH hormone. Aquac Res 17:113–116

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hurvitz A, Jackson K, Degani G, Levavi-Sivan B (2007) Use of endoscopy for sex and ovarian stage determinations in Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) grown in aquaculture. Aquaculture. 270:158–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson K, Hurvitz A, Din SY, Goldberg D, Pearlson O, Degani G, Levavi-Sivan B (2006) Anatomical, hormonal and histological descriptions of captive Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) with intersex gonads. Gen Comp Endocrinol 148:359–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings MJ, Claussen JE, Philipp DP (1996) Evidence for heritable preferences for spawning habitat between two walleye populations. Trans Am Fish Soc 125(6):978–982

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lagler KF, Bardach JE, Miller RR, Passino DRM (1977) Ichthyology. J. Wiley & Sons, New York, p 506 (ISBN 0-471- 51166-8)

    Google Scholar 

  • Manosroi A, Meng-Umphan K, Manosroi J (2003) Annual sex hormonal profiles, gonad development and age determination of the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas, Chevey). Aquac Res 34:1379–1385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Masoudifard M, Vajhi AR, Moghim M, Nazari RM, Naghavi AR, Sohrabnejad M (2011) High validity sex determination of three years old cultured beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) using ultrasonography. J Appl Ichthyol 27(2):643–647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matsche MA, Rosemary KM, Brundage HM, O’Herron JC (2013) Reproductive demographics, intersex, and altered hormone levels in shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum, from Delaware River, USA. J Appl Ichthyol 29:299–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moghim M, Vajihi AR, Veshkini A, Masoudifard M (2002) Determination of sex and maturity in Acipenser stellatus by using ultrasonography. J Appl Ichthyol 18:325–328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niksirat H, Andersson L, Golpour A, Chupani L, James P (2017) Quantification of egg proteome changes during fertilization in sterlet Acipenser ruthenus. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 490:189–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petochi PDM, Donadelli V, Longobardi A, Corsalini I, Bertotto D, Finoia MG, Marino G (2011) Sex and reproductive stage identification of sturgeon hybrids (Acipenser naccarii × Acipenser baerii) using different tools: ultrasounds, histology and sex steroids. J Appl Ichthyol 27(2):637–642

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qu QZ, Sun DJ, Wan BQ, Ma GJ (2010) The relationships between gonad development and sex steroid levels at different ages in Acipenser schrenckii. J Appl Ichthyol 26:1–5

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rzepkowska M, Ostaszewska T, Gibala M, Roszko ML (2014) Intersex gonad differentiation in cultured Russian (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) and Siberian (Acipenser baerii) sturgeon. Biol Reprod 90(2):31–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tan-Fermin JD, Ijiri S, Ueda H, Adachi S, Yamauchi K (1997) Ovarian development and serum steroid hormone profiles in hatchery-bred female catfish Clarias macrocephalus Gunther during an annual reproductive cycle. Fish Sci 63:867–872

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Eenennaam JP, Doroshov SI, Moberg GP, Watson JG, Moore DS, Linares J (1996) Reproductive conditions of the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) in the Hudson River. Estuaries 19:769–777

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb MAH, Feist GW, Foster EP, Schreck CB, Fitzpatrick MS (2002) Potential classification of sex and stage of gonadal maturity of wild white sturgeon using blood plasma indicators. Trans Am Fish Soc 131:132–142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Webb MAH, Van Eenennaam JP, Crossman JA, Chapman FA (2017) A practical guide for assigning sex and stage of maturity in sturgeons and paddlefish. J Appl Ichthyol 35(1):169–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wildhaber ML, Papoulias DM, Delonay AJ, Tillitt DE, Bryan JL, Annis ML, Allert JA (2005) Gender identification of shovelnose sturgeon using ultrasonic and endoscopic imagery and the application of the method to the pallid sturgeon. J Fish Biol 67:114–132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williot P, Brun R, Rouault T, Pelard M, Mercier D, Ludwig A (2005) Artificial spawning in cultured sterlet sturgeon, Acipenser ruthenus L., with special emphasis on hermaphrodites. Aquaculture 246:263–273

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williot P, Gulyas T, Ceapa C (2002) An analogue of GnRH is effective for induction of ovulation and spermiation in farmed Siberian sturgeon Acipenser baerii Brandt. Aquac Res 33(9):735–737

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The study was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, project CENAKVA (LM2018099) and Biodiversity (CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_025/0007370) and the Czech Science Foundation (grant number 20-23836S) and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 642893 (IMPRESS).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CAS, Na Sádkách 7, České Budějovice, 370 05, Czech Republic

    Amin Golpour

  2. Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic

    Amin Golpour, Hadiseh Dadras, Abdul Rasheed Baloch, Taiju Saito & Martin Pšenička

  3. University of Lorraine, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, BP 236, 54506, Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy, France

    Coralie Broquard & Sylvain Milla

Authors
  1. Amin Golpour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Coralie Broquard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sylvain Milla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hadiseh Dadras
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Abdul Rasheed Baloch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Taiju Saito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Martin Pšenička
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Pšenička.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Golpour, A., Broquard, C., Milla, S. et al. Determination of annual reproductive cycle in male sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus using histology and ultrasound imaging. Fish Physiol Biochem 47, 703–711 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00892-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00892-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation