Seasonal reproductive biology of two species of freshwater catfish from the Venezuelan floodplains

Abstract Oxydoras sifontesi and Pimelodus blochii are seasonal breeder fish. Spawn occurs once a year over a short interval of time, at the beginning of the rainy season. The gonadosomatic index (GSI), and plasma levels of steroid hormones of P. blochii and O. sifontesi were studied from fish samples, collected from the Portuguesa River (Portuguesa State, Venezuela) in 1998 and 2004–2005, respectively. Gonadal tissue samples were obtained and processed for histology. A macroscopic classification of the degree of gonadal maturation was performed using a six-stage maturity scale. Data was analyzed and compared as a function of the gonadal maturation stage. The GSI of both O. sifontesi and P. blochii increases from stages II to V (preparatory and prespawning periods) and decreases in the stage VI (postspawning). In males, the GSI was usually lower than in females. In both species, the higher plasmatic concentration of 17β-estradiol (17β-E) and testosterone (T) were obtained from specimens in stages IV or V. A significant decrease in both hormones was observed in stage VI, except for the males of P. blochii where T concentration did not change between gonadal stages IV–VI. The relevance of these results is discussed in relation to the seasonality and the particular hydrological conditions of the region.