REPORT ON STATE OF ATRESIA IN THE OVARIES OF SOME MEDITERRANEAN SEA FISHES FROM THE EGYPTIAN COAST

Some common forms of atresia were observed in the ovaries of striped sea bream, Lithognathus mormyrus, spiny cheeked grunter, Terapon puta and bogue, Boops boops obtained from Abu Qir Bay, Alexandria. The ovarian atresia was recognized by batches of clear brownish fluid beneath the ovarian epithelium and the oocytes appear reddish in colour. The present study showed that, the ovarian atresia increases with the increasing the maturity stages and length of spawning season. The percentages of ovarian atresia was marked higher in L. mormyrus and middlein T. puta which characterized by long spawning season. The percentage of ovarian atresia was lower inB. boops which characterized by short spawning season. Histological examination of ovaries of L. mormyrus, T. puta and B. boops indicated that, the presence of atretic oocytes (oocyte retention) as a non natural phenomenon in the first maturity stages and natural in the last maturity one. Atretic oocytes may be classified into two main types: nonbursting and bursting. Capsulated atresia, lipoidal atresia and cystic atresia are belonging to the first type. Multiple bursts, single bursts and liquified bursts are of common phases in the second one. Finally, all forms of atretic oocytes degenerated and disappeared in the stroma.