<b>Reproduction of the sea cucumber </b><b><i>Holothuria</i></b><b> (</b><b><i>Halodeima</i></b><b>) </b><b><i>grisea </i></b><b>(Holothuriida: Holothuriidae)</b><b><i> </i></b><b>from Santa Catarina coast, southern Brazil</b>

Abstract

Introduction: The sea cucumber, Holothuria (Halodeima) grisea, is a common species in intertidal rocky shores along the Brazilian coast. Due to its abundance, it is considered a potential resource for aquaculture development. Objective: To characterize some reproductive features of H. (H.) grisea in southern Brazil, including sex ratio, gonadosomatic and maturity indices, and macro and microscopical observations of gonad tubules. Methods: Adult individuals were randomly collected in August and October 2019; February, March, May, and October 2020 at the intertidal region during low tides on the coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The individuals were transferred to the laboratory, where they were subject to biometry, dissection, and preservation to further macro and microscopic examinations. Results: The sex ratio was 1 : 1 and the gonad indexes were similar in both sexes and between months. Two main cohorts (25.3 and 85.3 μm) and three cytometric intervals (CI) were established. Based on histology for males, and mainly cohorts and CI for females, the individuals were categorized into five stages of the gonadal development scale (GDS) in tubules: growing, premature, mature, spawning and post spawning. Maturation and spawning events were frequent in all months, mainly February, March, and May 2020. Seven colors of the tubules were presented (transparent, transparent-pink, white, transparent-white, creamy-white, cream, and pink) with a large overlap between sex and GDS. Conclusions: This study is the first to describe the reproductive behavior of H. (H.) grisea on the coast of Santa Catarina and this population exhibits a continuous reproductive pattern with reduction in winter season. Our results can offer a baseline for future research, providing various qualitative and quantitative description tools for greater effectiveness in understanding the maturity cycle of populations and managing the sea cucumber fishery in Brazil.