Gonad Development in the Female Nigerian Clarias Gariepinus Burchell 1822

Abstract

In this study, the morphometrical pattern of the testis and the histomorphology of the spermatogenesis of Nigerian C. gariepinus were studied using gross and histological techniques, with a view to providing support to further toxicological studies of this species. In this study, the developmental stages and therefore classification of the Nigerian and Turkish of Clarias gariepinus species were similar in the male. However the onset of puberty of the Nigerian specie of Clarias gariepinus was found to be considerably different from that of the Turkish species. Onset of puberty was at 5 months in the male with full maturation at 6 months while onset of puberty in the Turkish specie was at 9-10 months and full maturation at 12 months. It also revealed that while the Turkish species records 140g for the male, the Nigerian species recorded 900g for the male at full maturity.