Zootechnical Brown Trout (Salmo trutta L. 1758) Ovarian Fluid Fails to Upregulate the Swimming Performances of Native Mediterranean Brown Trout (Salmo cettii Rafinesque, 1810) Sperm in the Biferno River

In external fertilizer fish, ovarian fluid (OF) seems to play a key role in fertilization success, improving spermatozoa swimming performance. These OF/sperm interaction mechanisms are frequently species-specific and/or population-specific and could decrease the risk of genetic introgression wild populations from introduced or escaped zootechnical individuals. The Mediterranean brown trout (Salmo cettii) is threatened by with strains domestic trutta) that were for recreational purposes. aim our study was test if native S. cettii females, rather than trutta, produce OF greater ability upregulate sperm motility conspecific males. Thus, we compared performances males inhabiting Biferno River (Molise region—Southern Italy) activated vs. trutta female’s OFs. study, females’ OFs (20% diluted), spring water, has significantly boost performance autochthonous males, while fails. preliminary results suggest OF-sperm interactions potentially influence direct hybridization involving lineage past.