Sexual maturation in female triploid plaice, <i>Pleuronectes platessa</i>, and plaice × flounder, <i>Platichthys flesus</i>, hybrids

Abstract

The gonads of immature female triploid plaice ( Pleuronectes plafcssa ) and plaice × flounder ( Platichthys flesus ) hybrids produced from cold‐shocked eggs were examined. They were less than half the size of those in diploids of similar age and contained only small numbers of developing oocytes. These were similar both in size and cytological appearance to those in the controls. The bulk of the ovarian tissue was composed of nests of small undifferentiated cells resembling the oogonia in the ovaries of diploid fish. Mature, 5 year old triploid hybrids which had not produced eggs over the previous two spawning seasons were killed in January when the diploid controls were nearing spawning condition. The ovaries of these fish were smaller than those of the controls and contained degenerating oocytes at maturation stage V. The advantage of sterile female triploid fish for fish‐cultivation is discussed.