Changes in tissue composition in Brazilian mojarraEugerres brasilianus(Cuvier, 1830) females at different stages of gonadal development as a starting point for development of broodstock diets

Abstract

Summary Thie study evaluated the changes in proximate composition and fatty acid profile in the muscle, liver and ovarian tissues of wild-caught Brazilian mojarra Eugerres brasilianus females during sexual maturation as a starting point for the development of broodstock diets. A total of 114 females captured in the Santa Cruz Canal, Itapissuma, PE, north-eastern Brazil, from August 2012 to April 2013, were classified into four stages of gonadal development by histological analyses. Ovarian protein and total lipid levels increased with maturation, and a simultaneous decrease in liver protein and lipid levels was observed. The levels of arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) also increased in the ovary as the gonadal development proceeded; they represented 96.4% of the total highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in the ovaries of fully mature females. These findings highlight the need to include protein and lipid-rich sources containing n-6 HUFA, particularly ARA, and n-3 HUFA (EPA, DPA and DHA) in the diets of Brazilian mojarra breeders.