ESTRUTURA POPULACIONAL DO ARATU Goniopsis cruentata (LATREILLE, 1803) NO ESTUÁRIO DOS RIOS PIAUI/REAL, ESTADO DE SERGIPE, BRASIL

Artisanal fishing of aratu occurs throughout the northeastern coast, but their total catch is only estimated for three states, Pernambuco, Sergipe and Bahia. The aratu fishing is intense and few studies on the biology of the species, population dynamics and socioeconomic has been published. Therefore, this work aimed to characterize the population structure and reproductive aspects of G. cruentata, landed in the communities of Cajazeiras and Pontal, in Sergipe. The collections were made monthly when the new moon, from March 2015 to February 2016. The results showed that the carapace width (LC) of the animals ranged in Cajazeiras 25 to 53.8 mm and 59.6 mm in Pontal. Cajazeiras and Pontal showed different patterns for the percentage of females and males, considering the frequency of carapace width. Females were predominant in 26-48 mm class in Cajazeiras and in Pontal from 28 to 44 mm. The males were the majority in the longest lengths in Cajazeiras and Pontal, the result indicates that the males dominate in the longest lengths. Mature female maturation was found throughout the study with greater frequency in September in both mangroves studied. The estimated result of the wide average carapace at first maturity of females in Cajazeiras indicated value of 33.2 mm and males equal to 36.5 mm; Pontal for the female values was 31.2 mm and 36.8 mm male.

Edna O’Brien and the Politics of Belatedness

This chapter explores the politics and poetics of Irish female belatedness in Edna O’Brien’s work, career, and critical reception, examining in particular her representation of Irish female maturation, her place in Irish literary history, and her frequent use of intertextuality. It explains that, although O’Brien is in many ways a literary pioneer, not least in being the first postcolonial female writer of rural Irish Catholic background to achieve international prominence, in other ways her work and career are emblematic of a kind of belatedness. Her first novel was among the last to be banned in Ireland, she writes about female subjects struggling to be included in the Irish social and symbolic orders, and her work has been criticized for being derivative of earlier writers, particular James Joyce. Only in recent years, as Irish society has itself radically changed, has O’Brien come, belatedly, to be seen as a major author.

Female maturation and rematuration acceleration of Mutiara strain catfish (Clarias gariepinus) using combination of oocyte developer hormone and astaxanthin addition diet

ABSTRACT Reproductive design for gonadal maturation process mostly related with some factors such as environmental signals, reproductive organs, hormonal and nutrition. This research was conducted on female Mutiara strain of North African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus by combining two kinds of materials administered to broodstock diet, namely oocyte developer (Oodev) which contains of PMSG hormone and antidopamin, and astaxanthin carotenoid. Research designs were divided into C (Control), A50 (astaxanthin 50 mg/kg feed), A100 (astaxanthin 100 mg/kg feed), Od0.5 (Oodev 0.5 mL/kg fish for two weeks), Od1 (1 mL/kg fish for 2 weeks), Od0.5A50 (combined Od0.5 with A50), Od1A50 (combined Od1 with A50), Od0.5A100 (combined Od0.5 with A100), and Od1A100 (combined Od1 with A100). This research was performed during twelve weeks of feeding. The Od1A100 treatment showed the best reproduction performance result compared to other treatment with highest hepatosomatic (HSI) and gonadosomatic (HSI) indexes (P<0.05), also fastest increase in egg diameters (P<0.05), shorter rematuration periods and highest proportion of mature broodstock. These results indicated that Oodev and astaxanthin could accelerate gonadal maturity in female broodstock of Mutiara catfish.Keywords: Broodstock, hormonal, reproduction, oocyte developer, astaxanthin ABSTRAK Rekayasa reproduksi untuk proses pematangan gonad sebagian besar terkait dengan beberapa faktor seperti sinyal lingkungan, organ reproduksi, hormonal dan nutrisi. Penelitian ini dilakukan terhadap strain ikan lele Mutiara (Clarias gariepinus) betina menggunakan dua bahan yang dicampur pada pakan induk, yaitu oocyte developer (Oodev) yang mengandung hormon PMSG dan antidopamin, dan karotenoid astaxanthin. Eksperimen yang dirancang adalah K (Kontrol), A50 (Astaxanthin 50 mg/kg pakan), A100 (Astaxanthin 100 mg/kg pakan), Od0.5 (Oodev 0,5 mL/kg induk untuk 2 minggu), Od1 (Oodev 1 mL/kg induk untuk 2 minggu), Od0.5A50 (kombinasi Od0.5 dan A50), Od1A50 (kombinasi Od1 dan A50), Od0.5A100 (kombinasi Od0.5 dan A100), dan Od1A100 (kombinasi Od1 dan A100). Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan memberi makan dua belas minggu. Performa reproduksi terbaik didapat pada perlakuan Od1A100. Od1A100 memiliki indeks hepatosomatik (HSI) dan gonadosomatik (HSI) tertinggi (P <0,05), juga diameter telur paling cepat besar (p <0,05), periode rematurasi terpendek, dan proporsi induk matang gonad tertinggi. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa Oodev dan astaxanthin dapat mempercepat kematangan gonad pada induk betina ikah lele Mutiara. Keyword: Induk, hormon, reproduksi, oocyte developer, astaxanthin

Absorption and distribution of estradiol from male seminal emissions during mating

Estradiol-17β (E2) plays critical roles in female maturation, sexual receptivity, ovulation and fertility. In many mammals, contact with males can similarly affect these female parameters, whereas male excretions contain significant quantities of E2. We administered radiolabeled estradiol ([3H]E2) to male mice in doses representing a small fraction of their endogenous E2. These males were paired with sexually receptive females, and radioactivity was traced into the females’ systems. In Experiment 1, males were given [3H]E2 at 24 and 1 h before mating. Male-to-female [3H]E2 transfer intensified with increasing numbers of intromissions and spiked in the uterus after insemination. In Experiment 2, sexually experienced young males received [3H]E2 at 72 and 24 h before mating, and all mated to ejaculation. The copulatory plug deposited in the female reproductive tract contained substantial levels of radioactivity. The uteri, other tissues and blood serum of females displayed radioactivity indicative of E2 transfer. In Experiment 3, radioactivity was observed 3 and 18 h after insemination in the females’ uteri and other tissues, including parts of the brain. In Experiment 4, we observed substantial levels of radioactivity in semen as well as the copulatory plugs retrieved from the females after mating. Transferred E2 could directly affect abundant estrogen receptors in the female reproductive tract without potential metabolism by the liver. Sexually transferred E2 may facilitate uterine preparation for blastocyst implantation. These data converge with several lines of evidence indicating that male-sourced E2 can transfer to proximate females in bioactive form, contributing to various mammalian pheromonal effects.

Pseudocopulation and male-male conflict elicited by subadult females of the subsocial spider Anelosimus cf. studiosus (Theridiidae)

In spider species with first male sperm priority, males guard subadult females as a tactic for improving their paternity. Preliminary observations in Anelosimus cf. studiosus, a subsocial species from Uruguay, showed that males court and guard subadult females. To elucidate the sexual tactics of this species, we placed two adult males with one adult female, and two other males with one subadult (penultimate) female under laboratory conditions (20 trials for each female status/group). Males courted both adult and subadult females, and subadult females were as receptive as adults, adopting the acceptance posture and pseudocopulating with males. Males performed conspicuous fights under both situations. Winner males copulated (or pseudocopulated), while the losers remained as satellites. Some females remated with satellite males. Subadult female behaviour simulating the adult receptive display could be a cheating tactic for retaining males and eliciting combats. Male-male fights and the guarding of subadult females suggest the occurrence of first male sperm priority, but the persistence of satellite males also suggests second males have some degree of paternity success. Competition could be caused by an asynchrony in female maturation at the beginning of the reproductive season, turning adult females in to the scarce resource.