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Assessment of male reproductive traits in endangered leuciscids from the Iberian Peninsula: first attempts to store gametes both at short- and long-term
During the spring of 2022, several endangered leuciscid species ( Anaecypris hispanica , Squalius aradensis , Anachondrostoma Occidentale , and Iberochondrostoma lusitanicum ) were sampled both at the Vasco da Gama aquarium facilities and in some rivers of the Algarve region, Portugal. Sperm samples...
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Published in: | Fish physiology and biochemistry 2024-10, Vol.50 (5), p.1931-1945 |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Subjects: | |
Citations: | Items that this one cites |
Online Access: | Get full text |
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Summary: | During the spring of 2022, several endangered leuciscid species (
Anaecypris hispanica
,
Squalius aradensis
,
Anachondrostoma Occidentale
, and
Iberochondrostoma lusitanicum
) were sampled both at the Vasco da Gama aquarium facilities and in some rivers of the Algarve region, Portugal. Sperm samples were extracted by gentle abdominal pressure and sperm motion parameters were assessed for the first time in four species, using a computerized analysis system. The results obtained showed that spermatozoa kinetic patterns were similar for all 4 species, with high motility and velocity values after the sperm activation time and with a marked decrease after 20. On the other hand, sperm longevity was highly variable between species, with short longevities (around 40 s) for
A. hispanica
and
S. aradensis
, and longer longevities (100–120 s) for
A. occidentale
and
I. lusitanicum
, which could indicate a latitudinal pattern in terms of sperm longevity
.
At the same time, morphometric analysis was carried out for the four target species, revealing that spermatozoa showed similar sizes and shapes to other external fertilizers belonging to Leuscididae, with small spherical heads, uniflagellate, and without acrosomes. In addition, a short-term gamete storage trail was performed by diluting sperm in 1:9 (sperm:extender) and storing them at 4ºC. Although the results obtained were uneven among the species studied, the dilution and extender used generated motilities above 40% up to day 4 of storage in
S. aradensis
and
I. lusitanicum
, and up to days 1–2 in
A. hispanica
and
A. occidentale
, respectively. Finally, gamete cryopreservation trials were also carried out on these threatened species. Although cryopreserved samples showed significantly lower motility than fresh samples, some protocols generate acceptable percentages of viability, DNA integrity, and sperm motility in some species such as
I. lusitanicum
and
A. occidentale
. The data revealed that the protocol based on 10% DMSO plus 7.5% egg yolk generated the best results.
This study is the first to assess the reproductive traits of wild and captive populations of endangered leuciscids endemic from the Iberian Peninsula, describing the spermatozoa kinetics and developing protocols for managing male gametes both in short- and long-term storage. Outcomes will provide new and useful tools to complement the management and conservation of ex situ breeding programs that are being developed for these four endangered species. |
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ISSN: | 0920-1742 1573-5168 1573-5168 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10695-023-01195-4 |