Abstract

The red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) is a north american subtropical waters endemic fish. It was introduced in Martinique (French West Indies) in 1985 for aquaculture purposes. The aim of this study was to discribe the oocyte development of red drum under martinican tropical conditions. Monthly ovarian biopsies were carried out during the vitellogenesis period, between july and november 1997, on two years old females. The whole most advanced oocyte examination allowed to characterise the oocyte stages and diameters evolution. The primary growth oocytes were present throughout the vitellogenesis period. Corticolar alveolar and yolk globules oocytes were common respectively by august and september. Yolk globule coalescence and nucleus migration were first exhibited by october. The spawning season began on October 13th. All this events of gonadal development occured respectivly 1 and 2.5 months later than in Florida and in North Carolina.

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