Composición lipídica durante el desarrollo ovocitario del dorado Coryphaena hippurus capturado en Baja California Sur, México

Abstract

Fish eggs need to contain sufficient reserve substances necessary for the development of the embryo. During the phase of vitelogenesis, females require food rich in proteins and lipids to produce the vitelogenin stored mainly in the yolk, because it is the only source of food in the embryo during the larval stage until the larvae receives its first food. The importance of the lipid composition for a good gonadal development and success in the survival of the larvae has been recognized in recent years. Currently the information about the composition of the lipids in the oocyte of large pelagic fish, including the dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, is scarce. Our goal then is to analyze the variation in the lipids (triglycerides) in the oocyte of females of this species collected off Baja California Sur. By using the digital analysis of histological images, we obtained a lipid index, which gave us a relative quantification of the lipids in the oocyte of each female. Variations in the composition of the lipids between years were detected, an increased trend between the average oocyte diameter and the fork length was found.