REPRODUCTIVE

PHYSIOLOGY OF
AQUACULTURE
SPECIES

Dr. Khor Waiho

Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries,
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu
AQUACULTURE SPECIES
Global Aquaculture Production 2019

Miscellaneous Value (USD 000) Quantity (t)

aquatic animals; Aquatic plants;
6822558 Miscellaneous
14.828.887 aquatic animals;
Miscellaneous 977.017
aquatic animal Molluscs; Miscellaneous
products; 228419 31089202 aquatic animal Molluscs;
Marine fishes; products; 26.841 17.550.576
14075713 Marine fishes;
3.194.052 Aquatic plants,
Crustaceans; 34.735.590
Diadromous fishes;
76.307.935
5.893.681

Freshwater fishes,
102.131.787 Crustaceans,
Freshwater fishes, 10.481.319
47.239.346

Diadromous fishes;
29.120.292
AQUACULTURE SPECIES
INDONESIA Aquaculture Production 2019
Miscellaneous
Quantity (t) Miscellaneous
Value (USD 000) aquatic animals;
Molluscs; 58.400 Miscellaneous Marine fishes; 4.107
aquatic animal
Marine fishes; 31.500 aquatic animal Molluscs; 29.796
Diadromous fishes; products; 30.570 174.528
products; 25.000
1.076.600

Aquatic plants,
1.481.002

Freshwater fishes,
3.804.900
Freshwater fishes,
6.442.585 Crustaceans,
4.820.259
Aquatic plants,
9.918.400
Crustaceans,
977.800

Diadromous
fishes,
1.590.814
AQUACULTURE
AND THE GLOBAL
GOALS
AQUACULTURE
AND THE GLOBAL
GOALS
REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY

directly concerns a set of physiological

processes essential for reproduction,
beginning with egg fertilization and
ending with sexual behaviour and
spawning.
Sex chromosome systems vary
 African catfish Clarias gariepinus
has both XX/XY and ZZ/ZW system

Same species of north african catfish at different

localities show different sex determination systems

Nguyen et al. 2021. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.562856

 SEX
DETERMINA
TION &
DIFFERENTA
TION
Currently, five different master genes have been
documented in fish: dmY, gsdf, amhy, amhr2, and sdY.
 In many aquaculture species one sex grows faster or matures
earlier than the other and these differences may be
accentuated under aquaculture conditions.

Sex-associated growth differences

Sex-associated traits generate size dispersion

in aquaculture
classification must be performed

Optimize feeding Avoid cannibalism

 Sexual size dimorphism Sexual size dimorphism
favor males favor females
Flatfish
Tilapia

Seabass

Sex-associated traits Mud crab

Spotted scat

in aquaculture

Tiger shrimp
Whiteleg
Growth rate favor shrimp Mud crab
females
 Gonadal
development:
The case of
Spotted scat

Red arrowhead = germ cell (GC),

OG; Oogonia, PO; Primary oocyte,
Histological examination of female (A) OC; Oocyte, SG; Spermatogonia,
and male (B) spotted scat gonads from 2 SC; Spermatocyte, ST; Spermatid,
to 12 mph (a-k), respectively. Scale; 20 μm.
 Spotted scat
sexual
dimorphism

Growth pattern of spotted scat. A) Length age relationship

and B) weight age relationship between male and female
from 1 to 12 and 18 mph.
Spotted scat
sex reversal

A schematic illustration of gonad development and timing for sex reversal in spotted scat. Germ cell number was observed for the first time from 2 mph
(months post-hatch) afterward. E2 (estrogen) treatment caused male to female sex reversal (50%) whiles MT (methyltestosterone) and Le (Letrozole) did
not. (Mustapha et al. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.737147)
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Androgenic gland = main player in determining gonadal differentiation

AG of M. amazonicum
Doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.01.014
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Secondary sexual characteristics

AG AG
Malformed testes and AG
sperm ducts
Testis Testis

Vas Vas Genital papillae, a male

secondary sexual
Def Def character is not
developed. 80% orange-claw males
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

• The removal of the AG in male M. rosenbergii post-larvae (PL) led to

successful transformation into neo-females (andrectomized prawn) with
either ovotestes or functional ovaries.
• The neo-females were capable of producing all-male progeny when mating
with normal males.
• Regardless of age or stage, feminization could be successful with the removal
or interfering with the AG before the appendix masculina develops.
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi)

• The microinjection of RNAi has been successfully demonstrated in the laboratory and proven
to be the most efficient and cost-effective method for RNAi induction in crustaceans for
silencing gene expression.
• In crustaceans, interfering with or silencing a gene using RNAi technology enables the
interference functions of the gene in the embryonic or organ growth and development,
cellular metabolism, and reproduction mechanisms.
• Full functional sex reversal of male M. rosenbergii was successful through the silencing of a
single IAG-encoding gene.
Crustacean - Freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi)

Mud crab Reproductive Physiology

Embryonic & Gonadal Sexual

larval development maturation
development

Zoea stages → Testis: spermatogonia Morphometric maturity

megalopae → to spermatophores Physiological maturity
crablets Ovary: oogonia to Functional maturity
mature oocytes
Mud crab Reproductive Physiology – Embryonic/larval Dev.

Embryonic&
larval
development
Mud crab Reproductive Physiology – Embryonic/larval Dev.

Embryonic &
larval
development
Mud crab Reproductive Physiology – Embryonic/larval Dev.

Embryonic &
larval
development
 Mud crab Reproductive Physiology
In male S. olivacea

Gonadal
development Histology of mature testis

SPG - spermatogonia SPC - spermatocyte

SPT - spermatid SPZ - spermatozoa

 Mud crab Reproductive Physiology
In female S. paramamosain

In female S. olivacea

Gonadal
development
Mud crab Reproductive Physiology

What do we know so far?

Mud crab Reproductive Physiology

What do we know so far?

 Mud crab Reproductive Physiology

Possible monosex production schemes based on the manipulation of androgenic gland (AG)-specific insulin-like peptides (IAGs) in crustaceans of female or
male heterogamety sex determination system. Figure adapted from Ventura and Sagi (2012). Note: -IAG indicates removal of IAG from males; +IAG indicates
administration of IAG onto females.
The case of the walking dead: Zombie crab!
The case of the walking dead: Zombie crab!
The case of the walking dead: Zombie crab!

Rhizocephalan parasite: Sacculina beauforti

 The case of the walking dead: Zombie crab!

Effect of rhizocephalan parasite infection to host:

1. Morphological changes
1. Primary sexual characters
2. Secondary sexual characters
3. Body size

2. Physiological changes
1. Organ invasion
2. Gonad degeneration and sterilization
3. Moulting
4. Metabolism

3. Behavioural changes
 The case of the walking dead: Zombie crab!

Normal hepatopancreas Infected hepatopancreas

Normal testis Infected testis

Normal ovary Infected ovary

The quest for knowledge is never-
ending. Always stay humble!

THANK YOU!

waiho@umt.edu.my