Early life history of the pipefish <i>Nerophis lumbriciformis</i> (Pisces: Syngnathidae)

Monteiro, Nuno; Almada, Vítor Carvalho; Vieira, Maria Natividade

doi:10.1017/s0025315403008452h

Cited by 26 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 4 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Newly released Urophori larvae are well developed with completed caudal and dorsal fin rays. For example, newly hatched larvae of Parasyngnathus argyrostictus and Syngnathus schlegeli have an elongated body similar to adults (Minami and Kimura 1988;Gomon and Neira 1998), whereas newly released larvae of Gastrophori species (Dunkerocampus multiannulatus and Nerophis lumbriciformis; see Kuiter 2000;Monteiro et al 2003) are at almost the same developmental stages as M. leiaspis. Wilson et al (2001) expounded that tail-brooding (Urophori) and abdomen-brooding (Gastrophori) lineages evolved independently, with remarkable increases in pouch morphological complexity, an evolutionary series that reached its greatest development in the completely enclosed pouches of seahorses (Urophori).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and early development of a freshwater pipefish Microphis leiaspis in Okinawa-jima Island, Japan

Ishihara

Tachihara

2008

Ichthyol Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We investigated the size at maturation, breeding season, and morphological development of larvae and juveniles of a freshwater pipefish Microphis leiaspis, which belongs to Gastrophori, collected from three rivers on the northern part of Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. The minimum size of brooding males was 105-123 mm in standard length (SL). The smallest mature female was estimated to be ca. 130 mm SL from the analysis of gonadosomatic index (GSI) and histological observations of gonads. The breeding season was estimated to be from June to December according to monthly changes in female GSI, histological observations of gonads, and monthly changes in the occurrence of brooding males. The number of eggs in the male brood pouch ranged from 75 to 241 (mean ± SD: 152 ± 52, n = 22). The male releases newly hatched larvae in freshwater areas. After newborns grow in the sea, they return to freshwater areas of the rivers and attain maturity. Microphis leiaspis was conformed to have an amphidromous life history. Notochord length of the released larvae was 6.1 mm, with a well-developed finfold. Larvae attained 11.1 mm SL, formation of the caudal and dorsal fin rays was complete, and the caudal fin became lozenge shaped at 30 days after the release, and juveniles reached 36.0 mm SL at 63 days after release. In the period between 30 and 63 days after the release, formation of all fins except the pectoral fins was completed, and caudal fin rays were extended and sector shaped with deep slits between each fin ray. The morphology of the released larvae of M. leiaspis is similar to that of Gastrophori species, and the morphology of juveniles similar to other species of Microphis.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproduction and early development of a freshwater pipefish Microphis leiaspis in Okinawa-jima Island, Japan

Ishihara

Tachihara

2008

Ichthyol Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Moreover, the new possibilities, such as the possibility to carry additional number of eggs, introduced by the emergence of a more complex brooding structure, the marsupium, were also investigated. It could be expected that, according to both proposed (morphological or molecular) phylogenies, seahorses and external brooders should occupy opposite Kuiter (2000); 7, Dawson (1986); 8, Vincent (1990); 9, Teixeira & Vieira (1995); 10, Drozdov et al (1997); 11, Watanabe & Watanabe (2002); 12, Monteiro et al (2003); 13, Dawson (1985); 14, Davey & Martin-Smith (unpublished data from Tasmanian populations); 15, Connolly et al (2001). extremes in the results emerging from the several conducted analyses on egg and larvae development, since they represent, respectively, the most evolved and primitive form of egg bearing within the Syngnathidae family. Nevertheless, the low level of structural similarities, visible among di¡erent brood pouches, may indicate that the trend 'from pipe¢sh to seahorse', suggested by Herald (1959), could be misleading.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

implications of different brood pouch structures in syngnathid reproduction

2005

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The evolutionary radiation of the family Syngnathidae was accompanied by a diversi¢cation of structures involved in male parental care whose anatomical variations may signal di¡erences in reproductive strategies, with increasing egg protection possibly a¡ecting female investment in o¡spring or larvae quality at the end of the embryonic development phase. An analysis of egg numbers showed signi¢cant di¡erences between syngnathids with and without marsupium, suggesting that the brood pouch, besides increasing protection to the male and its eggs, also introduced the ability to carry an additional number of o¡spring per pregnancy, from one or more females. Curiously, even though larvae sizes do not signi¢cantly di¡er between the considered brooding structures (controlling for male length), seahorse larvae were smaller than expected, given the large volume of the pear-shaped eggs. These observations suggest that the sealed seahorse pouch, although allowing the transport of a great number of o¡spring and capable of multiple consecutive pregnancies, may impose serious functional constraints, namely those related with oxygenation of the developing larvae, thus explaining the increased egg surface together with the presence of speci¢c salinity control mechanisms inside the marsupium.

show abstract

“…Embryonic and larval development have been described for a number of syngnathid species including pipefish [10,12-15], seahorses [9,11,12,16], and seadragons [17]. However, to date no attempt has been made to standardise early developmental processes for all members of the family.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Standardised classification of pre-release development in male-brooding pipefish, seahorses, and seadragons (Family Syngnathidae)

2012

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundMembers of the family Syngnathidae share a unique reproductive mode termed male pregnancy. Males carry eggs in specialised brooding structures for several weeks and release free-swimming offspring. Here we describe a systematic investigation of pre-release development in syngnathid fishes, reviewing available data for 17 species distributed across the family. This work is complemented by in-depth examinations of the straight-nosed pipefish Nerophis ophidion, the black-striped pipefish Syngnathus abaster, and the potbellied seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis.ResultsWe propose a standardised classification of early syngnathid development that extends from the activation of the egg to the release of newborn. The classification consists of four developmental periods – early embryogenesis, eye development, snout formation, and juvenile – which are further divided into 11 stages. Stages are characterised by morphological traits that are easily visible in live and preserved specimens using incident-light microscopy.ConclusionsOur classification is derived from examinations of species representing the full range of brooding-structure complexity found in the Syngnathidae, including tail-brooding as well as trunk-brooding species, which represent independent evolutionary lineages. We chose conspicuous common traits as diagnostic features of stages to allow for rapid and consistent staging of embryos and larvae across the entire family. In view of the growing interest in the biology of the Syngnathidae, we believe that the classification proposed here will prove useful for a wide range of studies on the unique reproductive biology of these male-brooding fish.

show abstract

Early life history of the pipefish Nerophis lumbriciformis (Pisces: Syngnathidae)

Cited by 26 publications

References 4 publications

Reproduction and early development of a freshwater pipefish Microphis leiaspis in Okinawa-jima Island, Japan

Reproduction and early development of a freshwater pipefish Microphis leiaspis in Okinawa-jima Island, Japan

implications of different brood pouch structures in syngnathid reproduction

Standardised classification of pre-release development in male-brooding pipefish, seahorses, and seadragons (Family Syngnathidae)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About