Abstract
Fish have highly developed chemosensory and chemical signaling systems as they inhabit aquatic environment devoid of light but rich in dissolved compounds. Four major classes of chemicals have been identified as specific olfactory stimuli namely amino acids, sex steroids, bile acids or salts and prostaglandins. Pheromones are defined as substances which are secreted to the outside by an individual, in which they release specific reaction; for eg; a definite behavior or a developmental process in conspecifics[1]. In many teleost species, pheromones play an important role in various events of reproductionand spawning [7,4]. The gonads of teleosts secrete pheromonally active substances, most likely steroidal glucuronides, which can activate the neuroendocrine axis to release gonadotropin–II. In the African catfish, strong olfactory sensitivity to steroid conjugate fraction has been attributed to glucuronides synthesized by the seminal vesicle [3,2]. It was reported that the testicular homogenate or its, glucuronide fraction [6] and the seminal vesicle fluid or its glucuronide fraction [2] induced either ovulation or behavior effects in zebrafish and African catfish, respectively. The testis of the
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