Seasonal changes in the milt quality of spotted scat, Scatophagus argus: Implications for artificial propagation

M Madhavi; M Kailasam; R Subburaj; G Thiagarajan; M Saiyad Musthafa

doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.10.003

Seasonal changes in the milt quality of spotted scat, Scatophagus argus: Implications for artificial propagation

Theriogenology. 2022 Jan 1:177:42-49. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.10.003. Epub 2021 Oct 12.

Authors

M Madhavi¹, M Kailasam², R Subburaj², G Thiagarajan², M Saiyad Musthafa³

Affiliations

¹ P.G. & Research Department of Zoology, Ethiraj College for Women, Affiliated to University of Madras, Chennai, 600 008, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: madhavisuccess@gmail.com.
² Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture, Santhome High Road, R.A.Puram, Chennai, 600 028, Tamil Nadu, India.
³ P.G. & Research Department of Zoology, Unit of Research in Radiation Biology & Environmental Radioactivity (URRBER), The New College (Autonomous), Affiliated to University of Madras, Chennai, 600 014, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address: saiyad_musthafa@rediffmail.com.

PMID: 34656836
DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.10.003

Abstract

The current study investigated the correlation among sperm production (milt volume, spermatocrit and sperm count), sperm motility characters and biochemical composition of seminal plasma during different seasons to estimate the quality of semen in the Spotted scat (Scatophagus argus). The sperm of 120 males were collected over a period of 2 years seasonally viz., summer, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon. During the collection period, it was observed that there were significant (p < 0.05) seasonal variations in the semen quality including sperm motility and production more in the summer season than other seasons. The osmolality of seminal plasma varied from 343.33 to 370.33 mOsm/kg. The pH of seminal plasma elevated from 7.37 to 7.63 during monsoon and summer seasons. The motility of S. argus sperms correlated with the concentration of biochemical compounds viz., Ca²⁺, Mg⁺ and Cl^- during the summer season. Based on the present observation it could be highlighted that sodium and potassium were negatively correlated (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) effect on total protein (r = -0.826; -0.956), glucose (r = -0.819; -0.717), cholesterol (r = -0.978; -0.849), AST (r = -0.853; -0.897), ALT (r = -0.970; -0.967), calcium (r = -0.850; -0.697), magnesium (r = -0.852; -0.843) and chloride (r = -0.906; -0.926). In conclusion, many physical and biochemical compositions of S. argus semen improved during that the summer and pre-monsoon season as compared to that of monsoon and post-monsoon. Fertility tests were performed to determine the ability of spermatozoa to fertilize an egg. Highest fertilization (79.92 ± 4.60%) and hatching (80.75 ± 3.89%) rates were observed during summer, while the rates were lowest during monsoon (40.50 ± 4.52%; 53.92 ± 7.38%). This work forms a compiled data for standard semen quality, which in turn will help to select good milters for hatchery production, cryopreservation and assisted breeding programs of this fish.

Keywords: Breeding period; Scatophagus argus; Spermatological properties.

MeSH terms

Animals
Male
Seasons
Semen
Semen Analysis* / veterinary
Sperm Motility*
Spermatozoa