Induction of sex inversion in juvenile grouper, Epinephelus suillus, (Valenciennes) by injections of 17α-Methyltestosterone

Abstract

Four groups of two-year old juvenile groupers (Epinephelus suillus), each with 8-9 individuals of mean body weight (BW) 1.2 kg, were treated with 17α-methyltestosterone (MT). MT was injected intramuscularly within the range of 0.5-5.0 mg kg^-1 BW every 15 days. Gonadal biopsy and stripping of the abdomen was done every 15 days, the fish being sacrificed after six or twelve injections. Initial controls had immature ovaries containing primary oocytes in lamellae that extended into the central lumen. After six injections, proliferation of stromal and gonial cells were observed in all fish sampled. Regardless of treatment, gonad sections of fish with a minimum BW of 1.2 kg showed degeneration of primary oocytes and the presence of spermatogenic cells. Milt was also present in larger-sized fish (BW: 1.5 kg) given 0, 0.5 and 1.0mg MTkg^-1 BW, after such fish had received an accumulated dose of 5 or 12mg MTkg^-1 BW. However, gonad sections of smaller-sized fish following these treatments contained only primary oocytes and gonial cells after six (BW: 0.7-1.0kg) or twelve (BW: 0.6-1.3 kg) injections. In contrast, all fish treated with 5 mg MT kg^-1 BW had testes in active spermatogenesis after six (BW: 1.2-1.6 kg) or twelve (BW: 0.8 kg) injections. Gonad weight and gonadosomatic index values decreased during consecutive sampling. Induction of female-to-male sex inversion in juvenile E. suillus by MT was probably synergistic with age and size.