An investigation on the micropyle number in the ova of the strugeon species in Caspian Sea

The micropyle number in the ova of sturgeon species from the South Caspian Sea was investigated. The study was conducted on female broodfishes of three species of sturgeon (Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus, Stetates sturgeon A. stellatus and great sturgeon Huso huso) included 44 Persian sturgeon, 13 stellate sturgeon and 8 great sturgeon specimens. Fifty eggs were randomly collected from each broodfish and the micropyle number of totally 3250 eggs was determined. Out of 44 Persian sturgeon used, 14 specimens were collected from the south-east Caspian region (Golestan Province, Shaid Marjani Center) and 30 were from the south-west Caspian region (Guilan Province, Shahid Dr. Beheshti Center). The stellate sturgeon specimens were taken from the south-west and the great sturgeon specimens from the south-east Caspian region. The obtained result showed that the mean micropyle number in Persian sturgeon caught from the south-east Caspian region was 8 whereas in those caught from the south-west region was 9. There was no significant difference (p>0.95) in the micropyle number of Persian sturgeon collected from the south-east and south-west regions. The mean micropyle number determined for stellate and great sturgeon was 5. The outer diameter of the micropyle in the Persian, stellate, and great sturgeon were 22 μm, 17 μm and 19 μm respectively.