Translation 2813
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2c^O!'F5 FISHERIES RESEARCH BOARD OF CANADA AstiCI '[ iV'F-;S Translation Series No. 2813 The biology of reproduction of pinnipedia of the Far East by M. M. Sleptsov Original.Title: Biologii razmnozheniya lastonogikh dalbnegb vostoka. From: Zoologicheskii Zhurnal (Zoological Journal), 22(2).: 109-128, 1943. Translated by Ian MacLaren Department-of the Environment Fishèries Research Board of Canadà. Office of the Editor Ottawa, Ontario.. 1973 21 pages typescript JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY Vol. XXII 1943 No. 2 The biology of reproduction of pinnipedia of the Far East M. M. Sleptsov Laboratory of evolutional morphology of the vertebrae, Moscow State University. The present paper is the result of a study of pinnipedia during a hunting expedition, organized in 1939 by the Institute of the Fishing Industry in the Pacific Ocean (TINRO). The author participated in the expedition on board the hunting vessel "Nazhim", which operated in the Okhotsk and the Tchukotsk Seas between May llth and Oct. 20th 1939. During the expedition the author investigated the reproductive systems of the males and females of the Erignathus barbatus naut. Pall., the Phoca vitulina largha, Pall., the Histriophoca fasciata Zimm, the Phoca hispida Schreb., Eumetopias jubatus Schreb., and the Odobeanus rosmarus div. Illiger. The results of the investigations of the reproductive systems of the above mentioned pinnipedia brought out many interesting and important details, which complemented the problems of the reproduction of pinnipedia in general, and those of the Far East in particular. Because of the intensity of the seal hunting industry, the knowledge of their biological reproduction gains primary importance since it is only under such circumstances that a rational planning of the catch can take • place. Regardless of the importance of the problem, it had not been studied intensively up to this time; the rhythm of reproduction of various types of pinnipedia has not been determined as yet. There are pertinent re- ferences in the literature on the reproduction of the pinnipedia, but such references are not complete and have not been checked in every case. It would appear that such types of pinnipedia as the Greenland and the Caspian seal have been studied fully, since they are the object of an intensive industry. Work in that respecthas been done by Smirnoff (1935, 37), Freiman (1939), Gerasimoff (1931), Naumoff (1933), Dorofeyeff (1936). Regretably, a whole series of problems of the reproduction of pinnipedia have not been solved as yet. The biology of reproduction of the Phoca bai, is known only on the basis of fragmentary data by Swatosh (1925), Witkowski (1890) and Naumoff. The data on the seal populations of the White, the Barenz and the Karsk Seas are even more scanty. The study of the reproduction of the pinnipedia of the Far Eastern Sea has been concentrated mainly qan the Otaridae and Eumetopii. There are some data on Odobaeni and Phocidae, but all very scanty; (Barabash-Nikiforoff 1936; Freiman 1936 ;Naumoff 1933 ;Ogneff 1935; Dorofeveff 1936 ; Loon 1936; Nikulin 1937; Pikhareff 1939). -2- As the result of the study of the biology of reproduçtion of the pinnipedia, the whelping time has been investigated fairly thouroughly. The questions of coupling, the gestation time, barreness, the intensity of reproduction etc., require furthersupplementary studies. For example, the majority of authors assume that with Phocidae the gestation lasts about 11 - 11.5 months. However, Ogneff (1935) pointed out that with Phoca vitulina the gestation lasts only 9 months. OWN OBSERVATIONS TABLÉ 1 No. Total Specie m f During the whole period of Erig. barb....433 213 220 the expedition we studied the re- Phoca vit.1...188. 74 114 productive systems of 657 males and Hisp ..... 722 females. General data about Sch...... 478 184 294 the material used are presented.in Histrioph. tables 1, 2, and 3. fasc. Zimn...:280 186 94 Total ........ 1379 657 722 Over the period of time the numbers of animals were distributed in thè following manner, according to type. TABLE 2 Total. Total. Months S ecie. No. m f Months Specie No. Erig.barb ..... 10 3 7 Erig.b...... 128 72 56 Ph.vit.1 ...... - - - Ph.vit.l... 11 2 9 May hisp.Sch.... 61 28 33 Jul. hisp.Sch. 77 31 46 Histrioph. Histrioph. fasc ......... 129 97 32 fasc ....... 5 1 4 Erig.barb.:..109 - 64 45 Aug. No catch Ph.vit.l......16 6 10 June "hisp.Sch....350 125' 215 Erig.b.... 127.' 39 88 Histrioph., Sept. Ph.vit.l.. 90 28 62 fasc.. ........ 146 90 56 Oct: Erig.b.... 59 20 .39 Ph.vit.l.. 71 49. 30 According to age and sex the grouping was the following. Table 3 , , Sex f. Not sex. f., Sex. f. Potent. Not. sex.f, Specie mat. m. tiat. m. mat. f. sex. f.mat.f. sex.f mat.i Erig:b .............. 164 49 160 26 34 Ph.vit.largha........ 56 18, 86 19 9 "hisp.Schreb........ 121. 63 187 44 63 Histrioph. Fasc. Zimm158' 28 85 10 9 The zoological length of the animals was measured, and the reproductive systeins of males and females were examined under field conditions. -3- Male testicles and sperm ducts were examined. The testicles were weighed and then measured wit a centimeter tape. The condition of the utc.ri, evaries, atria and the _:ervices of uteri were examined. A limited number of ovaries of specirons of all four types and in differtnt stages o1 development, were we;he ,.:.. The general conditions of the animals were also noted: the stage t log reached, whether well fed or not etc. We shall now describe the conditions of the reprductive systems both male and female, of pinnipedia of the different types, caught during the different months of the expedition. ERIGNATHUS BARBATUS NAUTICUS PALL. Data on condition of the reproductive system. 7 sex. mature males and 7 sex. mature females were ekamined in May. Table no. 4 indicates the weight of the testicles. There was no sperm.in the ducts; the • TABLE 4 testicles were compact and swollen. Length of Size of test. Weight animal 3 The reproductive system cm cm of the females has been found as follows; the uterus was . 246 5* x 8 59 of normal proportions. Its 205 • 4 x 8 . 60 colouring approaches the ' 220 6 x 9 68 colour of the flesh. The surface of both horns is covered with considerable folds, which probably , originated after the Shrinking These horns are . asymmetrical; _in some cases • the right horn, is bigger:than the left, in others the proportions are re- versed. The internal walls of the uterus show signs Of past parti; approximately in the middle of one of the hornsof the utexus we-found - -a considerable belt- shaped thickening of the mucous lining, protruding into the lumen of thé uterus. The ovaries showed resorbent corporae lutiae of pregnancy(Fig:. The colouring of the mentioned thickening is brownish, because of the presence of thick, enlarged veins and arteries. 140ii `IA Yerri Fig. 1.. Longitudal section from above, throiigh:. the.horn of the utérus of Erignathus barb:. m.s.- muscles; mucous:lin.;:k.s - blood veààels vatz.- oviduct; 'va. - ovary; zh.t. - - resorIping corp,11: of pregnancy: fOl. - small •folliculi; r..foL • -• résorbing cross section of »vary. -3- Male testicles and sperm ducts were examined. The testicles were weighed and then measured with a centimeter tape. The condition of the uteri, ovaries, atria and the cervices of uteri were examined. A limited number of ovaries of specimens of all four types and in different stages of development, were weighed. The general conditions of the animals were also noted: the stage of moulting reached, whether wéll fed or not etc. We shall now describe the conditions of the reproductive systems both male and female, of pinnipedia of the different types, caught during the different months of the expedition. ERIGNATHUS BARBATUS NAUTICUS PALL. Data on condition of the reproductive system. 7 sex. mature males and 7 sex. mature females were examined in May. Table no. 4 indicates the weight of the testicles. There was no sperm in the ducts; the TABLE 4 testicles were compact and swollen. Length of Size of test. , Weight animal 3 The reproductive system cm cm of the females has been found as follows; the uterus was 246 5 x 8 59 of normal proportions. Its 205 4 x 8 60 colouring approaches the 220 6 x 9 68 colour of the flesh. The surface of both horns is covered with considerable folds, which probably originated after the shrinking. These horns are asymmetrical; in some cases the right horn is bigger than the left, in others the proportions are re- versed. The internal walls of the uterus show signs of past parti; approximately in the middle of one of the horns of the uterus we found a considerable belt- shaped thickening of the mucous lining, protruding into the lumen of the uterus. The ovaries showed resorbent corporae lutiae of pregnancy (Fig. 1). The colouring of the mentioned thickening is brownish, because of the presence of thick, enlarged veins and arteries.- Al/ MRS ifors Z11.1, Yerz Fig. 1. Longitudal section from above, through the horn of the uterus of Erignathus barb. m.s. - muscles; s-.s. - mucous lin.; k.s - blood vessels vatz.- oviduct; va. - ovary; zh.t. - resorbing corp.l. of pregnancy: fol. - small folliculi; r.fol. - resorbing fol; Below: cross - section of ovary. -4- The thickening of the mucous lining is the locus of past placentation (placenta uterus). The cervix of the uterus is weakened, its colouring reddish, with bluish patches. The vagina is normal. There is no milk in the milk glands. The ovaries are asymmetric and flabby; they are light mauve in colour.