Early development of Brycon orthotaenia (Pisces: Characidae).

Brycon orthotaenia is an important fish for commercial and sport fishing and may reach 7 kg in body weight; it is endangered in some regions of Brazil's São Francisco River Basin. Breeders were subjected to spawning induction to analyse the early development; oocytes and semen were obtained by manual extrusion and fertilization was carried out using the dry method. After fertilization, eggs were kept in incubators at 24°C. Egg samples were collected every 10 min until hatching in order to monitor embryonic development and were analysed and photographed. Larvae samples were collected daily until the seventh day to analyse the larvae development; larvae were fixed in Bouin's fluid and subjected to routine histological and histochemical techniques for glycoprotein and glyco-conjugated detection. Oocyte extrusion occurred 6 h after the second hormone dose at 26°C. The recently extruded oocytes were spherical, dark green and non-adhesive, with a diameter of 1479.67 ± 53.18 and 3094.60 ± 80.34 μm after hydration. The blastopore closure occurred within 7 h 30 min of fertilization and the fertilization rate was 50.0 ± 5.5 % at 24°C. Embryonic development was completed within 21 h 30 min of fertilization. Complete yolk sac resorption and mouth opening occurred on the third day after hatching, at which time an adhesive organ with mucosubstances was observed. On the third day, an olfactory chamber with cilia and intense cannibalism amongst the larvae was observed. The complete differentiation of the digestive system occurred on the fifth day and the nervous and sensorial systems differentiation occurred on the sixth to seventh days.