OVARY MICROSTRUCTURE AND OOGENESIS IN GALAXIAS MACULATUS (JENYNS, 1842)

Abstract

A histológica! description of ovaries from adult Galaxias maculatus capturad seasonally in the Cautín river is made. The microanatomy of ovaries is described and eight maturity stages for oocytes ara determined according to their histológica! features. Post-spawning structures are also described. Results show that ovaries are elongated and pairad organs located at both sides of the digestive tract and covered with a thin albugínea. Thin connective tissue folds penétrate the ovaries and cover the oocytes at different maturity stages. There are no oviducts, thus ovaries are of the gymnoarian type. Maturation is asynchronous, spawning fractioned and the ovaries undergo seasonal changes in size and coloration.