Maturation and Gonad Development of Yellowspotted Puffer Torquigener flavimaculosus (Osteichthyes: Tetraodontidae) from Iskenderun Bay, North-eastern Mediterranean

Marine pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae accumulate the highest levels of tetrodotoxin (TTX) in the ovary. The level of TTX accumulation is reported to differ between males and females and fluctuate through gonadal development and maturation stages. Therefore, in the present work, maturation and gonad development of Yellowspotted Puffer (Torquigener flavimaculosus) from Iskenderun Bay, North-eastern Mediterranean were investigated histologically and morphologically. Mean length and weight of specimens were 12.1±0.58 cm and 20.25±0.17 g respectively. Histological examination of the gonads showed that maturation occurs in every single male T. flavimaculosus collected in summer 2017. Moreover, vitellogenic and matured oocytes were also consistently found in every female collected during the summer months. These data suggest that both sexes are reproductively active at the same time of the year. Where the spawning season for both males and females was detected in summer. T. flavimaculosus was found to be dioecious. Five and six developmental stages were indicated for testis and ovaries, respectively. The developmental pattern of ovaries was categorized as the asynchronous or group synchronous type.