SPERM CHARACTERISTICS IN FRESH AND CRYOPRESERVED SEMEN IN ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZATION PROCEDURES OF Steindachneridion parahybae: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED FISH

• Grant number: 12/17083-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: July 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Romagosa
• Grantee: Eduardo Antônio Sanches
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesca. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Steindachneridion parahybae is a catfish endemic to the basin of the Paraíba do Sul River that is critically endangered and methods that ensure maximum fertilization are necessary for the technological development of the species. Whereas that the sperm quality is directly related with the success of artificial reproduction and the cryopreservation procedures existents are not applied in laboratory routine for this species, the aim of this study will be to evaluate which spermatic parameters that influence directly in the artificial fertilization and which the protocols of cryopreservation can be used for the species. To do so, will be held two work fronts: 1st) to evaluate the sperm parameters (motility rate, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, straight line velocity, straightness, wobble, progression, beat cross frequency, morphological abnormalities, membrane integrity, DNA integrity, osmolality and seminal pH) and correlate them with the values of the rates of fertilization, hatching and normal larvae; 2nd) to evaluate different cryoprotectant solutions on sperm parameters and fertilization artificial with thawed semen. From the results obtained can will be identified which are sperm characteristics and freezing protocols are really efficient for the reproduction artificial procedure.