Fish reproduction

FIS H

REPRODUCTIO N

FIS H

REPRODUCTIO N

Maria Joao Rocha

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Superior Institute of Health Sciences-North

Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research

Porto, Portugal

Augustine Arukwe

Department of Biology

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Trondheim, Norway

Editors

B.G. Kapoor

Formerly Professor of Zoology

The University of Jodhpur

Jodhpur, India

D AI HOC TI • -GUYEN

C LIEi r

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Enfield (NH) Jersey Plymouth

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Fish reproduction/editors. Maria Jo5o Rocha, Augustine Arukwe, B.G. Kapoor.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-57808-331-2

ISBN-10: 1-57808-331-1

1. Fishes--Reproduction. I . Rocha, Maria Joao. II . Arukwe, Augustine. III . Kapocr, B.

G.

QL639.2.F55 2007

573.6'17--dc22

2006053542

ISBN 978-1-57808-331-2

© 2008, Copyright reserved

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

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publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in

which it is published and without a similar condition including this

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Published by Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, USA

An imprint of Edenbridge Ltd.

Printed in India

Prefac e

Reproduction is a continuous development process throughout ontogeny

and therefore, it requires energetic, ecological, physiological, anatomical,

biochemical and endocrinological adaptations. Reproduction has gained

special significance because of the increasing importance of aquaculture

which has become an important industry with the decline in world fish

stocks. Fish spawning and nursery in aquaculture ponds raise a host of

ecological issues for which knowledge of fish reproduction is fundamental.

In another context fishes are often used as models in several research

areas such as developmental biology, toxicology, etc. The understanding

of reproductive systems is essential for such studies.

Fishes comprise over 28,000 species, with a remarkable variability in

morphology, physiology and environmental adaptation. Knowledge on

fish reproduction is scattered across numerous sources that shows a

dynamic research field. The Editors believe it to be an opportune moment

for an anthology of key topics collected under one knowledge umbrella

that covers biological, cytological and physiological aspects of fish

reproduction, with contributions from internationally recognized experts.

We envisaged that the first chapters would hook up some of the

important issues affecting normal ways of reproductive development;

details would focus on species living in contrasting environments, such

as tropical and temperate fishes; distantly related, as are teleosts and

cartilaginous fishes; and finally, fish having different reproductive

strategies. Thereafter, since many fishes live in harsh environments, mainly

induced by the continuous input of xenobiotic substances into waterways,

we found it pertinent to include this topic. Here the authors focus their

attention on the factors and mechanisms that may affect reproduction￾related hormonal systems as also on known consequences for fish living

Vi Preface

in polluted environments. Finally, the interplay of modern concepts of

fish reproduction in aquaculture is reviewed.

We are very pleased to see our ideas materialized into this compendium

that, we hope, will be considered useful and valuable as a 'forum made of

state-of-the-art review articles' in this rapidly growing research area which,

in addition to the advances in molecular biology (as reflected in many

chapters), incorporates the new genomic, proteomic and metabolomic

approaches. This project was accomplished with the generous, enthusiastic

and dedicated efforts of many colleagues who agreed to share their vision

and knowledge. To them we express our most profound gratitude for

their exceptional work.

Maria Joao Rocha

Augustine Arukwe

B.G. Kapoor