Contribution to the study of the fertility in Pagellus erythrinus:: Spermogramme and spermocytogramme.

The monthly analysis of the sperm of Pagellus erythrinus (Linnaeus, 1758) during the period of reproduction reveals a gradual increase of the density of spermatozoa during the development phase and sexual maturing, from March to May. We note an average of 36.12 x 10(9) cells/ml, the highest rate of sperm cell coinciding with the beginning of the spawning phase. From August the density of spermatozoa falls to reach an average of 4.80 x 109 cells/ml, giving evidence of the postspawning phase. Mobility and vitality of spermatozoa are maximal during the period of emission from May to July and become minimal in the end of the season of spermiation. In the middle of the spermiation period, mobility and quality of movement spermatozoa of observed every 5 minutes is gradually modified and tends to fall from the 15(th) minute. The spermatozoa movement passes from rectilinear to disorientated, then mobile but not progressive, and stand from 60 minutes onwards. The spermocytogramme has allowed us to put in evidence some morphological abnormalities of the spermatozoa, which influence their fertilizing power. Out of 600 observations we found 32% of spermatozoa presenting abnormalities.