Maturation of Oreochromis niloticus gonads

Abstract

At hatching when fry were 5 to 6 mm, primordial germ cells (PGCs) were found to concentrate along the dorsomedian region of the peritoneal wall at the root of the developing mesentery and in places far from the appearance of testocoel and ovocoel. At 56 days posthatching, oogenic cells in the ovary had enlarged approximately 2 to 3 times their former size. The testis remained quiescent although the stromal tissues with developing efferent ducts increased distinctly in amount. Spermatogenesis occurred at three months posthatching.