Rediscovering hermaphroditism in Grammatidae with the description of the testicular gland in Brazilian Basslet Gramma brasiliensis.
Many aspects of sex change in reef fishes have been studied, including behavior and social organization. However, gonad histology remains the most robust way to identify sexual patterns in fishes. Some uncommon tissues remain poorly described, such as the accessory gonadal structures found in species from the Gobiidae family, which are rare in other bony fishes. This is the first report of the testicular gland in Gramma brasiliensis and for the Grammatidae family. Between April 2011 and February 2012 eighty specimens were collected during four dive campaigns on the Taipus de Fora reef (13°56'20"S 38°55'32"W), Bahia, Northeast Brazil, and their sex was determined. Thirteen per cent of the active-females and 90% of the active-males had testicular gland tissue in their ovotestis. This discovery led to additional research into the characteristics of the gland tissue and its relationship with gonadal maturation. Three patterns of testicular gland development were found in Brazilian basslet ovotestis. Both ova and sperm-producing gonad contained testicular gland tissue, and the appearance of this tissue seems to be the first modification of ovotestis tissue marking the beginning of the protogynous sex-change process in G. brasiliensis.
Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, São Mateus ES , Brazil, Laboratório de Vertebrados Aquáticos, Pós-graduação em Oceanografia Ambiental, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas - DCAB, Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo - CEUNES, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Rodovia BR 101 Norte, Km 60, Litorâneo, s/n, CEP 29932-540, São Mateus, ES, Brazil.
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Leite
Laboratório de Ictiologia, Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, Curitiba PR , Brazil, Grupo de Pesquisa em Ictiofauna, Laboratório de Ictiologia, Museu de História Natural Capão da Imbuia, Rua Prof. Benedito Conceição, 407, Capão da Imbuia, CEP 82810-080, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
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Freitas
Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Pescado Marinho, Instituto de Pesca de São Paulo, Ubatuba SP , Brazil, Núcleo de Pesquisa do Litoral Norte, Centro Avançado de Pesquisa Tecnológica do Pescado Marinho, Instituto de Pesca de São Paulo - IPSP, Avenida Cais do Porto, 2275, Itaguá, CEP 11680-000, Ubatuba, SP, Brazil.
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Sanches
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte MG , Brazil, Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural e Reprodução - LABER, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - UFMG, bloco O3, sala 165, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Pampulha, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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Gomes
Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, São Mateus ES , Brazil, Laboratório de Vertebrados Aquáticos, Pós-graduação em Oceanografia Ambiental, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Biológicas - DCAB, Centro Universitário Norte do Espírito Santo - CEUNES, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo - UFES, Rodovia BR 101 Norte, Km 60, Litorâneo, s/n, CEP 29932-540, São Mateus, ES, Brazil.
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Hostim-Silva
Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu HI , USA, Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Room EDM 416, 2538 McCarthy Mall, Edmondson Hall 216, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
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D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000502:physiology; D057850:Hermaphroditic Organisms / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010473:Perciformes / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology*