Morphological Diversity of the Ovaries of the Mexican Teleost Fishes

Abstract

The morphological diversity of the ovaries from a total of 90 species of teleosts in the Mexican fauna was analyzed. Ovaries were classified according to the following characters: their number, symmetry, fusion grade, trajectory, cross section, and topographical location. The fusion of both left and right ovaries was the character showing most diversity, mainly in the Cyprinodontiformes and its tendency to the viviparity. However, the most notably character was the extravisceral development of the ovaries in the Pleuronectiformes, implying the forward orientation of the gonoduct and the forward position of the female genital opening. The urogenital system of a typical perciform, Bairdiella chrysoura is proposed as a morphological pattern of the Teleostei.