Sperm features in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus): a comparison with other freshwater and marine fish species

Abstract

This paper presents some features of turbot sperm and compares them with data reported in the literature on other freshwater and marine fish. In captivity, turbot spermiation period lasts 6 months. When compared to other fish species, turbot males are characterized by low values of maximum gonadosomatic index (0.6-0.8%) and are poor sperm producers in terms of volume (0.2-2.2 ml), concentration (0.7-11.0 × 10⁹ spermatozoa/ml) and total sperm number released per stripping (0.2-12.0 × 10⁹ spematozoa). Compared to most freshwater species, the duration of cell movement is long (1-17 min). The spermatozoon of turbot can be considered to be of a primitive type. A very high protein content (8.8 mg/ml) is found in the seminal fluid of turbot. Increasing collection frequency of turbot males, from monthly to fortnightly and weekly stripping, results in the release of successive samples presenting decreasing semen volume and spermatozoa concentration. Similar spermatozoa concentration and total volume of semen produced per turbot, during a 2 month experimental period, are released from males submitted to an annual light and temperature cycle, compared to those receiving a 6 month contracted light and temperature schedule.