Assessing Reproductive Condition in Captive and Wild Common Snook Stocks: A Comparison between the Wet Mount Technique and Histological Preparations

We describe oocyte development in Common Snook Centropomus undecimalis and, secondarily, present results from a comparison of the wet mount technique with histological preparations of ovarian biopsies. Potential differences in ovarian development between wild and captive broodstock were investigated. Results showed that mean oocyte diameter (m) was not statistically different between the two groups or within each defined stage and step of reproductive condition. Histological preparations were used to validate the wet mount technique as a rapid, yet accurate, low-cost alternative for assessing reproductive condition in Common Snook. When compared with histology, the wet mount provided a precise method for determining whether female broodstock were candidates for hormone induction in aquaculture applications. However, due to the loss of fine resolution, it was not possible to identify cortical alveoli, oocyte atresia, and postovulatory follicle complexes by using the wet mount technique. Despite these limitations, findings from this study indicate that the wet mount technique may have applications in fishery biology as a noninvasive method for assessing reproductive condition in wild fish stocks. Received November 7, 2012; accepted March 18, 2013