Embryology and early ontogeny of an endemic tooth‐carp fish, Aphanius sophiae (Heckel, 1847)

• Published in: Journal of applied ichthyology Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 622 - 632
• Main Authors: Masoudi, M., Esmaeili, H. R., Ebrahimi, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2018
• Subjects: Aphanius sophiae; Biological fertilization; Biology; Blastula; Blood circulation; Carp; cyprinodontid fishes; Ecological monitoring; Eggs; Embryogenesis; Embryology; Embryonic development; Embryonic growth stage; Endangered & extinct species; Endemic species; Fertilization; Fish; Freshwater fishes; Hatching; Ontogeny; organogenesis; Rare species; staging; Teeth; Threatened species
• ISSN: 0175-8659; 1439-0426
• DOI: 10.1111/jai.13630

Summary Understanding embryonic development and ontogeny of species is a crucial part of any further biology, ecology and conservation studies. The present study describes the first detailed normal embryonic development of a tooth‐carp, Aphanius sophiae (Heckel, 1847), from fertilization to post‐ hatching. Aphanius sophiae spontaneously spawned at 24 ± 1°C. The newly laid eggs were transparent and spherical (1.45 ± 0.20 mm). We documented developmental times at 24 ± 1°C to egg activation (0.5 hr), cleavage (3 hr), blastula (10 hr), gastrula (20 hr), neurula (24 hr), somite (28 hr), turnover (60 hr), blood circulation (70 hr) and hatching (330 hr). This study contributes to a further understanding of the embryology and the early ontogeny of A. sophiae and may help improve the culture of other threatened species of the genus Aphanius.