222 



Fishery Bulletin 90(2). 1992 



Developing Oocyte stages 1, 2, 3, 

 present with 3 dominating. 



Ripe Oocyte stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and 

 present with 4 dominating. 



Spent Oocyte stages 1, 2, and 

 3 are present with 2 dominat- 

 ing. Atretic stage 4 and 5 

 oocytes and ruptured folHcles 

 are present. 



Macroscopic and microscopic 

 maturity classifications showed 

 excellent agreement. Only two 

 (6%) needed to be reclassified 

 following histological examina- 

 tion. These included one reclas- 

 sified from ripe to developing, 

 and one from resting to imma- 

 ture. 



Figures 5 and 6 show the his- 

 tology of the ovary. The lumen is 

 not centrally located but is at one 

 side (Fig. 5). The ovigerous tissue 

 extends into the lumen in the 

 form of lamellae from one wall 

 only. In late-developing and ripe 

 ovaries, the mucogelatinous 

 material that forms the egg veil 

 can be seen surrounding the 

 ovigerous lamellae and filling the 

 lumen (Fig. 6). This material is 

 produced by the epithelial cells 

 (Fulton 1898), which can be seen 

 lining the lumen and lamellae 

 (Fig. 6). 



Spermatogenesis proceeds 

 through six distinct stages analo- 

 gous to those described for Tila- 

 pia spp. (Hyder 1969) and Cau- 

 lolatilus microps (Ross 1978). 

 These stages are primary and 

 secondary spermatogonia, pri- 

 mary and secondary spermato- 

 cytes, spermatids, and sperma- 

 tozoa. Spermatogenesis in goose- 

 fish is not notably different from 

 other teleosts, so the process is 

 not described here. 



The 20 testes examined histo- 

 logically were placed in the fol- 

 lowing maturity classifications 

 based on a modification of the 

 system of Hyder (1969): 



Immature Primary and/or 

 secondary spermatogonia are 



and small 4 are 

 sometimes 5 are 



present; primary and/or secondary spermatocytes 

 may also be present. 

 Resting Primary and/or secondary spermatogonia 

 and spermatocytes are present. Spermatids also 



ow 



Figure 5 



Photomicrograph of Lopkius americanus ovary, classified as resting (40 x ): OL = 

 ovigerous lamella; L = lumen of ovary; OW = nonovigerous ovarian wall; 1-3 = stages 

 of oocyte development. 



OW 



Figure 6 



Photomicrograph of Lophius americanus ovary , classified as late developing (40 x ): MG 

 = mucogelatinous matrix; EP = epithelial lining of lumen and lamellae; OW, = 

 nonovigerous ovarian wall; AR = artifact; 3-4 = stages of oocyte development. 



