Ovulation was induced in sexually mature female goldfish
Carassius auratus maintained at 12°C under 15L-9D by raising the water temperature to 20°C under various photoperiods. The fish were checked every 2 or 3h, and those which had ovulated were blood-sampled to determine the timing of the GtH surge. In Experiment 1, 2 groups of fish (
n=15 each) were placed under photoperiods fixed at 15L-9D. In Group A, lights on was 0400h, and in Group B, lights on was 1600h. Ovulation occurred during the dark-phase in both groups. In Experiment 2, the photoperiod was changed from 15L-9D (lights on 0400h) to continuous light (Group C;
n=21) or continuous darkness (Group D;
n=18) after the water temperature increase. In both groups, ovulations were observed at a time corresponding to the dark-phase of the acclimation photoperiod, however, in Group D, ovulation was slightly delayed when compared to Group C. In both Experiments, the GtH surge was observed only in ovulated fish. In Experiment 3, mature females were reared under 14L-10D (lights on 0430h) and either pinealectomized (PINX, Group E,
n=19) or sham operated (Group F,
n=21). The water temperature was increased one week following the operation. Fish from Group F ovualted during the dark-phase, whereas fish from Group E ovulated randomly. The GtH surge was observed in the ovulated fish from both groups.
These results indicate that photoperiod plays an important role in determining the onset time of the preovulatory GtH surge. The pineal gland is somehow involved in the mechanism regulating this photoperiodic response.
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