Abstract:
The study was undertaken to investigate the gross reproductive organs of wild male
Clarias gariepinus
in
spawning and
non
-
spawning
periods. Twenty mature males of
C. gariepinus
comprising of ten each during
both periods were used. They weighed an average o
f 532 ± 8.32 gm during spawning and 510.8 ± 9.27 gm
during
non
-
spawning
season and measured a standard body length of 43.2±4.72 cm and 42.1±2.48 cm during
spawning and non
-
spawning seasons respectively. All fish were sourced from Gamboru fish market, Maidu
guri
and transported live to the gross Anatomy laboratory, Department of Veterinary Anatomy University of
Maiduguri. Each fish was euthanized using tricaine anaesthetic at 8 drops/litre of water. The reproductive
organs were removed en mass using scalpel,
forceps, and scissors. Then the number of seminal vesicles were
determined during spawning (37.8 ± 4.53) and
non
-
spawning
(36.32 ± 3.68) periods. The organs were seen
consisting of lobular testes, milt duct, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral gland and papill
a, which are whitish and
milky colour appearances in spawning and
non
-
spawning
periods respectively. The milt duct which have the
paired and unpaired part were also seen clearly in
non
-
spawning
period but relatively invisible in spawning
period.
