Morphological analysis of the reproductive activity of Curimatella lepidura (Characiformes: Curimatidae)

Curimatella lepidura, commonly known as the manjuba, belongs to the Curimatidae family. To assess the reproductive activity of this species, fish were collected from three sections of the São Francisco River: section 1 = the Três Marias reservoir (TMR), section 2 = the SFR immediately downstream of the TMR, and section 3 = the SFR 54 km downstream from the TMR after the confluence of the SFR with the Abaeté River. Fish were collected bimonthly from January to December 2012. From this, the gonadosomatic index (GSI), Fulton condition factor (K), gonadal maturation stages in females and males, and diameters of vitellogenic follicles were determined. That is, this study employed histological and histometrical techniques to study the ovaries and testes of collected fish. The Fulton condition factor was statistically higher in section 1 than in the other sections, indicating that C. lepidura presents better health conditions in this section. Fish in the maturation/mature gonadal stage were collected in the November/December and January/February bimesters, coinciding with high temperatures, a long photoperiod, and abundant rainfall in this region. The mean vitellogenic follicle diameter was statistically lowest for sections 2 and 3, with a better impact on reproduction than in section 1. Overall, the results show that C. lepidura has reproductive success in lentic environments, such as in section 1, the TMR.