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Validation of manual semen collection methods and sperm evaluation in living freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygon falkneri) kept in ex situ conditions

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Abstract

The Potamotrygon from the Potamotrygonidae family is a freshwater stingray that is native to and distributed throughout South American watersheds. The degradation suffered by the environment in recent years, particularly in aquatic habitats, directly affects native fish species. Due to anthropic actions, some species of the genus Potamotrygon are threatened with extinction, encouraging a study on captive breeding procedures. Six Potamotrygon falkneri adult males, kept under the care of the São Paulo Aquarium, Brazil, were divided into groups to compare two distinct semen collection protocols: physical restraint (PR) and chemical restraint (CR – 3 mg / kg propofol, directly into the gills). The protocols were alternated between the two groups in a 50-day interval. For both restraining protocols, after positioning the animal on a moistened foam in dorsal recumbency, semen collection was performed by placing a collecting tube at the cloaca opening while performing a gentle massage of the vas deferens. Sperm evaluation was performed at the moment of collection (time 0) by means of conventional semen analysis. There was no significant difference between the restraining methods examined for any parameter evaluated. The results suggest that physical restraint followed by manual massage is an effective approach to harvest semen in stingrays and should be considered the first choice of method, as it not only demonstrated to be a faster procedure but more importantly eliminated anaesthetic-associated risks for the animal. To our knowledge, this is the first study that validates the semen collection technique in live Potamotrygon falkneri rays and is extremely relevant for the development of future reproductive biotechniques in Potamotrygon.

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https://doi.org/10.17632/nf5xn6gdg9.1.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the following institutions and persons: Aquário de São Paulo; Mr Anael Fahel; Dr Maíra Morales Brito.

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, CEP 05508-270, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Fabiana Lúcia André Padilha, Sofia Dressel Ramos, Roberta Ferreira Leite, João Diego de Agostini Losano, Marcilio Nichi, Raphaela Gabrielle Brito Sousa, Pedro Nacib Jorge-Neto & Cristiane Schilbach Pizzutto

  2. São Paulo Aquarium, R. Huet Bacelar, 407, CEP 04275-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Fabiana Lúcia André Padilha, Helen Colbachini, Laura Chrispim Reisfeld, Paloma Canedo Henrique & Rafael Caprioli Gutierrez

Authors
  1. Fabiana Lúcia André Padilha
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  2. Helen Colbachini
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  3. Sofia Dressel Ramos
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  4. Laura Chrispim Reisfeld
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  5. Paloma Canedo Henrique
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  6. Roberta Ferreira Leite
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  7. João Diego de Agostini Losano
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  8. Marcilio Nichi
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  9. Raphaela Gabrielle Brito Sousa
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  11. Pedro Nacib Jorge-Neto
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  12. Cristiane Schilbach Pizzutto
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Contributions

FLA Padilha and CS Pizzutto conceived, designed and directed the study. FLA Padilha, H Colbachini, CS Pizzutto, SD Ramos, LC Reisfeld, PC Henrique, RGB Sousa, RC Gutierrez, RF Leite, JDA Losano and M Nichi performed the experiments. FLA Padilha, CS Pizzutto, RF Leite and PN Jorge-Neto analysed and interpreted the data. FLA Padilha, CS Pizzutto and PN Jorge-Neto wrote the manuscript. CS Pizzutto, H Colbachini, M Nichi, RF Leite, JDA Losano and PN Jorge-Neto critically revised the manuscript. All authors approved the manuscript for publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fabiana Lúcia André Padilha.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. 

Ethics approval

The present study was approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science (University of São Paulo) (CEUA/FMVZ) for the protocol nº. 5200300919. 

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Padilha, F.L.A., Colbachini, H., Ramos, S.D. et al. Validation of manual semen collection methods and sperm evaluation in living freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygon falkneri) kept in ex situ conditions. Environ Biol Fish 104, 463–469 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-021-01086-8

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