Does constant photoperiod inhibit the onset of the reproductive cycle in northern pike (Esox lucius) males?

• Published in: Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
• Main Authors: Ben Ammar, Imen, Milla, Sylvain, Missaoui, H., Ledore, Y., Teletchea, Fabrice, Fontaine, Pascal
• Other Authors: Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie (INAT), Unité de Recherches Animal et Fonctionnalités des Produits Animaux (URAFPA), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: Pike males; constant photoperiod; onset of reproductive cycle; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; [INFO]Computer Science [cs]; Arctic; Esox lucius; Northern pike
• Online Access: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02622151; https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02622151/document; https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-02622151/file/hal-02622151%282%29.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-017-0435-3

International audience Abstract For most temperate and arctic fish species, photoperiod is the key abiotic factor determining the onset of the reproductive cycle, and, for many species, constant long photoperiod seems to have an inhibitory effect. Yet, there is no knowledge about the effect of photoperiod on the onset of the reproductive cycle in northern pike males. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential inhibitory effect of constant long photoperiod on pike males. Batches offish were reared in triplicate under natural simulated photoperiod (NSP) or constant long photoperiod (CP; 16L:8D) from 14 October 2013 to 14 March 2014. Fish were sampled three times (at the beginning of the photoperiod decrease, at the beginning of the temperature decrease and at the end of the temperature decrease). Morphological parameters, sexual steroid levels and spermatogenetic stages were investigated. Our results showed that CP partially inhibited gonadal development (gonado-somatic index or GSI, %; 2.5% under NSP and 1.2% under CP at day 152), spermatic development (96.2% of spermatozoa under NSP and 69.3% under CP at day 152) and the plasmatic levels of testosterone (7.20 ng/mL under NSP and 2.37 ng/mL under CP at day 152). In conclusion, photoperiod maybe one of the determinant factors that control the onset of the reproductive cycle inpike males, but temperature and endogenous rhythms also need to be investigated.