Bonefish (Albula spp.) support an economically important sport fishery, yet little
is known regarding the reproductive biology of this genus. Analysis of oocytes histology
and sex hormone levels was conducted on wild female bonefish sampled during and
outside the spawning season in Grand Bahama, Central Andros, and South Andros, The
Bahamas to assess reproductive state. Bonefish are commonly found along shallow water
flats, or in pre-spawn aggregations (PSA) during spawning months. 17β-estradiol levels
suggest vitellogenic consistency between habitats. However, fish are more reproductively
developed at PSA based on the occurrence of larger, more prevalent vitellogenic oocytes
and evidence of final maturation. Variability in hormone levels and spawning readiness
existed between Grand Bahama and Andros PSAs, suggesting peak spawning may differ by region. Findings from this study will contribute baseline data to the captive bonefish
restoration project at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and to the limited ecological
data regarding bonefish reproduction. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2018. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_40937 |
| Contributors | Luck, Cameron Alexander (author), Ajemian, Matthew J. (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 88 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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