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Changes in gonadal development, androgenic gland cell structure, and hemolymph vitellogenin levels during male phase and sex change in laboratory-maintained protandric shrimp, Pandalus hypsinotus (Crustacea: Caridea: Pandalidae)

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Abstract

Most pandalid shrimps show protandric hermaphroditism, and male sexual differentiation is considered to be controlled by the androgenic gland. In the present study, we examined the histology of gonadal development during the male phase and sex change and the involvement of the androgenic gland in regulating male reproduction in laboratory-maintained Pandalus hypsinotus. Juvenile shrimps developed testicular tissues in the peripheral part of gonads during the age of 16–31 months and produced spermatozoa between 34 and 36 months. After reaching sexual maturity, male shrimps exhibited seasonal testicular development: active production of spermatozoa (February–May), disappearance of spermatozoa (spent, April–June), increase of spermatocytes (May–November), appearance of spermatids and spermatozoa in the gonads (November–February). The androgenic gland cells became larger and the rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm developed at male sexual maturity. The cell structure shows that the androgenic gland hormone is a peptide. Furthermore, bilateral eyestalk ablation on immature male shrimps induced hypertrophy of the androgenic gland and acceleration of male sexual maturation. These results indicate the involvement of androgenic gland hormone and some eyestalk factor in regulating male sexual maturation. Over a 1-year laboratory-rearing period, some male shrimps (16.7%) changed sex. In transitional shrimps, testicular tissues in the gonads and androgenic glands degenerated; on the other hand, oocytes started yolk protein accumulation and hemolymph vitellogenin levels became high. These results suggest that androgenic gland degeneration is a trigger for sex change and that the vitellogenin level is a useful marker for sex change.

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Acknowledgements

The present study was supported, in part, by a Fisheries Research Agency project, and by funds from the Cooperative Program No. 38, 2001 provided by Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo. The experiments comply with the current laws of Japan.

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Author notes

  1. M. Kotaniguchi & Y. Seto

    Present address: Government of Toyama Prefecture, Toyama, 930-8501, Japan

  2. K. Yoshida

    Present address: Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Kasumigaseki, Tokyo, 100-8907, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Agency, Nansei, Mie, 516-0193, Japan

    T. Okumura

  2. Amami National Center for Stock Enhancement, Fisheries Research Agency, Hyo, Setouchi, Oshima, Kagoshima, 894-2414, Japan

    H. Nikaido

  3. Obama National Center for Stock Enhancement, Fisheries Research Agency, Tomari, Obama, Fukui, 917-0117, Japan

    K. Yoshida

  4. Toyama Prefectural Fisheries Research Institute, Takatsuka, Namerikawa, Toyama, 936-8536, Japan

    M. Kotaniguchi, Y. Tsuno, Y. Seto & T. Watanabe

  5. Toyama Prefectural Sea Farming Center, Himi, Toyama, 935-0411, Japan

    Y. Tsuno

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  1. T. Okumura
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Correspondence to T. Okumura.

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Communicated by T. Ikeda, Hakodate

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Okumura, T., Nikaido, H., Yoshida, K. et al. Changes in gonadal development, androgenic gland cell structure, and hemolymph vitellogenin levels during male phase and sex change in laboratory-maintained protandric shrimp, Pandalus hypsinotus (Crustacea: Caridea: Pandalidae). Marine Biology 148, 347–361 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-005-0073-7

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