Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Synchronized development of gonad and bioluminescent light organ in a highly sexually dimorphic leiognathid fish, Photoplagios rivulatus

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to investigate the possible coupling between sexual maturation and the light organ system (LOS) development in leiognathid fish, we determined the seasonal changes in the gonad maturation and the light organ enlargement in Photoplagios rivulatus, one of the leiognathid species possessing highly sexually dimorphic LOS. The fish specimens collected from March 2001 to August 2002 were assessed for standard length (SL), body weight (BW), sex, gonad weight (GW) and the light organ weight (LW). Gonadosomatic index (GSI = 102GW/BW) and percent weight of the light organ to body weight (PLW = 102 LW/BW) were used to demonstrate the extent of development of gonad and the LOS, respectively. Mean GSIs in both male and female increased in June through August. The mean PLW in males showed a similar trend to that of the GSI, while PLW in females showed no clear seasonal trends. A significant positive correlation was found between the GSI and the PLW in males but not in females. The onset of sexual maturity in males (55 mm SL) coincided with that of the light organ enlargement. These results strongly support the functional coupling between reproduction and bioluminescence in this species of leiognathid. From an evolutionary perspective, sexual dimorphism in the LOS is likely to have evolved through sexual selection for reproductive success in leiognathid fishes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azuma N, Furubayash C, Shichiri T, Wada M, Suzuki Y (2005) Bioluminescence and mating behavior in pony fish, Leiognathus nuchalis In: Tsuji A, Matsumoto M, Maeda M, Kricka LJ, Stanley PE (eds) Bioluminescence and chemiluminescence. World Scientific, Singapore, pp 3–6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Dunlap P, McFall-Ngai MJ (1987) Initiation and control of the bioluminescent symbiosis between Photobacterium leiognathi and leiognathid fish. In: Lee JJ, Fredrick FJ (eds) Endocytobiology III. New York Academy of Sciences, New York, pp 269–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Frosse R, Pauly D (eds) (2005) FishBase, Ver. 03/2005. Published online, http://www.fishbase.org

  • Herring PJ (2000) Species abundance, sexual encounter and bioluminescent signaling in the deep sea. Philos Trans R Soc B 355:1273–1276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haneda Y, Tsuji FI (1972) The luminous organs of two species of leiognathid fishes recently found in Ambon, Indonesia. Sci Rep Yokosuka City Mus 19:7–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Haneda Y, Tsuji FI (1976) Luminescent system of pony fishes. J Morph 150:539–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikejima K, Ishiguro NB, Wada M, Kita-Tsukamoto K, Nishida M (2004) Molecular phylogeny and possible scenario of ponyfish (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) evolution. Mol Phylogenet Evol 31:904–909

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jones G (1985) Revision of the Australian species of the fish family Leiognathidae. Aust J Mar Freshwater Res 36:559–613

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kalou-Riga C, Economidis PS (1996) Ovarian atretic rates and sexual maturity of European horse mackerel, Trachurus trachurus (L.), in the Saronikos Gulf (Greece). Fish Bull 94:66–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee CF, Liu KM, Su WC, Wu CC (2005) Reproductive biology of the common ponyfish Leiognathus equulus in the south-western waters off Taiwan. Fish Sci 71:551–562

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFall-Ngai MJ (1983) Adaptations for reflection of bioluminescent light in the gas bladder of Leiognathus equulus (Perciformes: Leiognathidae). J Exp Zool 227:23–33

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFall-Ngai MJ, Dunlap PV (1983) Three new modes of luminescence in the leiognathid fish Gazza minuta: discrete projected luminescence, ventral body flash, and buccal luminescence. Mar Biol 73:227–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFall-Ngai MJ, Dunlap PV (1984) External and internal sexual dimorphism in leiognathid fishes: morphological evidence for sex-specific bioluminescent signaling. J Morph 182:71–83

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFall-Ngai MJ, Morin IG (1991) Camouflage by disruptive illumination in leiognathids, a family of shallow-water bioluminescent fishes. J Exp Biol 156:119–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Sasaki A, Ikejima K, Aoki S, Azuma N, Kashimura N, Wada M (2003) Field evidence for bioluminescent signaling in the pony fish, Leiognathus elongatus. Environ Biol Fishes 66:307–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparks JS, Dunlap PV (2004) A clade of non-sexually dimorphic ponyfishes (Teleostei:Perciformes:Leiognathidae): phylogeny, taxonomy, and description of a new species. Am Mus Novitiates 3459:1–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparks JS, Dunlap PV, Smith WL (2005) Evolution and diversification of a sexually dimorphic luminescent system in ponyfishes (Teleosti:Leiognathidae), including diagnosis for two new genera. Cladistics 21:305–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

We would like to thank P. Herring for valuable comments on the earlier version of the manuscript. Comments by anonymous reviewer were very helpful. This study was supported in part by Grant in Aid for Creative Scientific Research (No. 12NP0201) from Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Government of Japan.

Author information

Author notes

  1. K. Ikejima

    Present address: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Bangkok Office, TWY Office Center, Serm-mit Tower, 159 Sukumvit, Soi 21, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 4, Klong Luang Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand

    K. Ikejima

  2. Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Nakano-ku, Minamidai 1-15-1, Tokyo, Nakano-ku, 164-8639, Japan

    M. Wada & K. Kita-Tsukamoto

  3. Kanagawa Prefectural Fisheries Research Institute, Hyakawa 1-2-1, Odawara, Kanagawa, 250-0021, Japan

    T. Yamamoto

  4. Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki, 036-8561, Japan

    N. Azuma

Authors
  1. K. Ikejima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Wada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Kita-Tsukamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Yamamoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. N. Azuma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Wada.

Additional information

Communicated by S. Nishida.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ikejima, K., Wada, M., Kita-Tsukamoto, K. et al. Synchronized development of gonad and bioluminescent light organ in a highly sexually dimorphic leiognathid fish, Photoplagios rivulatus . Mar Biol 153, 1009–1014 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-007-0869-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-007-0869-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation