Photoperiod in aquaculture of the sea urchin Arbacia dufresnii (Echinodermata: Echinoidea): Effects on gamete production and maturity

Introduction: Photoperiod is, together with temperature and food availability, one of the main stimuli in regulation gametogenesis a wide variety species. Objective: To evaluate effect photoperiod on production mature gametes cultured Arbacia dufresnii. Methods: An experiment was carried out three varying light-dark regimes/treatments: constant light (24 h light), neutral (12 light, 12 darkness), darkness darkness). Twenty females were used each treatment. All induced to spawn and, ten randomly selected from treatment again after 30 days. After 60 days, spawning remaining females. The collected filtered seawater, fixed Davidson solution, quantified measured per individual triplicate Sedgewick-Rafter chamber. determine maturation, fertilization success evaluated minutes fertilization. Results: Our results showed that aquaculture system, only two months, obtained, regime there 10 times more than number produced wild sea urchins during period question. We also found greater exposure lower produced. Conclusions: This study suggests viability short time as regards