Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of using ultrasonography for sex determination in young carp. Ultrasound images were obtained from anesthetized captive carp aged 11 to 13 months. After sacrifice, the body length and weight, gonadal sex and weight, and gonad-somatic index were measured. Well-developed testes and ovaries filled with granulated eggs were easily distinguishable on ultrasound imaging, based on their visible characteristic morphological features. In contrast, immature, small-sized testes and ovaries lacking granulated eggs were difficult to distinguish. The mean longitudinal thickness of gonads was technically the easiest to scan for measuring gonadal size, and it correlated well with gonadal weight (r = 0.91) and gonad-somatic index (r = 0.89). Based on the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve, we determined that 6.2 mm was the cutoff value for mean longitudinal gonadal thickness at which sex could be positively determined by ultrasonography, with a sensitivity of 82.6% and specificity of 100%. Ultrasonography therefore represents an effective and non-invasive diagnostic tool for determining sex and maturity in Japanese ornamental carp.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are not publicly available, but may be available from the corresponding author, N.E., upon reasonable request.
References
Brizendine ME, Ward DL, Bonar SA (2018) Effectiveness of ultrasonic imaging for evaluating presence and maturity of eggs in fishes in remote field locations. N Am J Fish Manag 38:1017–1026
Bureau du Colombier S, Jacobs L, Gesset C, Elie P, Lambert P (2015) Ultrasonography as a non-invasive tool for sex determination and maturation monitoring in silver eels. Fish Res 164:50–58
Chen J, Wang Y, Yue Y, Xia X, Du Q, Chang Z (2009) A novel male-specific DNA sequence in the common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Mol Cell Probes 23:235–239
Degani G, Boker R, Jackson K (1998) Growth hormone, sexual maturity and steroids in male carp (Cyprinus carpio). Comp Biochem Physiol Part c Pharmacol Toxicol Endocrinol 120:433–440
Farag F, Wally Y, Daghash S, Ibrahim A (2014) Some gross morphological studies on the internal anatomy of the scaled common carp fish (Cyprinus carpio) in Egypt. J Vet Anat 7:15–29
Gomelsky B, Warner JL, Delomas TA, Novelo ND, Kramer AG (2019) Gonad development and reproductive ability of aneuploid ornamental koi carp obtained by crossing triploid females with diploid males. N Am J Aquaculture 81:211–214
Haniffa M, Benziger PA, Arockiaraj AJ, Nagarajan M, Siby P (2007) Breeding behaviour and embryonic development of koi carp (Cyprinus carpio). Taiwania 52(1):93–99
Hoshino S, Fujita S (2009) Nishikigoi Mondo (English version). NABA Corporation
Hua J, Qiang J, Tao Y, Li Y, Lu S, Bing X (2023) Development and validation of a PCR-RFLP / TaqMan MGB probe method for rapid sex identification of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Aquac Rep 30:101593
Ikuta K, Yamaguchi M (2005) The present state of carp fisheries and aquaculture in Japan. Bull Fish Res Agency Suppl 2:55–58
Ledoré Y, Bestin A, Haffray P, Morvezen R, Alix M, Schaerlinger B, Fontaine P, Chardard D (2021) Sex identification in immature Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) using ultrasonography. Aquac Res 52:6046–6051
Linhart O, Kudo S, Billard R, Slechta V, Mikodina EV (1995) Morphology, composition and fertilization of carp eggs: a review. Aquaculture 129:75–93
Macrì F, Rapisarda G, De Stefano C, De Majo M, Bottari T, Aiudi G (2014) Coelioscopic Investigation in European Eels (Anguilla anguilla). J Exot Pet Med 23:147–151
Mansur VFR, Melo N, Di Chiacchio IM, de Lima AI, Machado GJ, Paiva IM, de Carvalho AFS, Pereira RN, Solis Murgas LD (2021) Sex identification of the ornamental amazon fish Astronotus ocellatus by videoceloscopy and gonadal biopsy. Anim Reprod Sci 230:106780
McEvoy FJ, Tomkiewicz J, Stottrup JG, Overton JL, McEvoy C, Svalastoga E (2009) Determination of fish gender using fractal analysis of ultrasound images. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 50:519–524
Mojer A (2015) Phenotypic study for embryonic and larval development of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 1758). MJMS 30:98–111
Næve I, Mommens M, Arukwe A, Kjørsvik E (2018) Ultrasound as a noninvasive tool for monitoring reproductive physiology in female Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Physiol Rep 6:e13640
Nakajima K (1976) Basic ichthyology lecture (Japanese ornamental carp) (II) production of Nishikigoi. J Jpn Vet Med Assoc 29:85–89 (In Japanese)
Newman DM, Jones PL, Ingram BA (2008) Sexing accuracy and indicators of maturation status in captive Murray cod Maccullochella peelii peelii using non-invasive ultrasonic imagery. Aquaculture 279:113–119
Novelo ND, Tiersch TR (2012) A review of the use of ultrasonography in fish reproduction. N Am J Aquac 74:169–181
Petochi BT, Di Marco P, 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 27:637–642
Popovski Z, Kwasek K, Wojno M, Dabrowski K, Wick M (2017) Identification and partial characterization of a sex specific protein in Koi carp. Acta Vet 67:285–291
Raidal S, Shearer P, Stephens F, Richardson J (2006) Surgical removal of an ovarian tumour in a koi carp (Cyprinus carpio). Aust Vet J 84:178–181
Saint-Erne N (2010) Diagnostic techniques and treatments for internal disorders of koi (Cyprinus carpio). Vet Clin: Exo Ani Prac 13:333–347
Schulz RW, de França LR, Lareyre J-J, LeGac F, Chiarini-Garcia H, Nobrega RH, Miura T (2010) Spermatogenesis in fish. Gen Com Endocrinol 165:390–411
Swenson EA, Rosenberger AE, Howell PJ (2007) Validation of endoscopy for determination of maturity in small salmonids and sex of mature individuals. Trans Am Fish Soc 136:994–998
Tempero GW, Ling N, Hicks BJ, Osborne MW (2006) Age composition, growth, and reproduction of koi carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in the lower Waikato, New Zealand. N Z J Mar Freshw Res 40:571–583
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts 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
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Endo, N., Saito, M., Nakao, R. et al. Sex determination of Japanese ornamental carp Cyprinus carpio via ultrasonography. Fish Sci (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-024-01790-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-024-01790-1