Comparative analysis of the morphology, karyotypes and biochemical composition of muscle in Siniperca chuatsi, Siniperca scherzeri and the F1 hybrid (S. chuatsi ♀ × S. scherzeri ♂)

Combining morphological comparison with karyotyping can make a more accurate and comprehensive study of mandarin fish (Siniperca spp.) and hybrid progenies. In recent years, the domestication of hybrid mandarin fish has become a hot spot in China, and it is essential to evaluate the nutritional value of the fish after food conversion. In this study, the F1 hybrid (S. chuatsi ♀ × S. scherzeri♂) were fed with artificial feed for five months. Afterwards, we studied the morphology, karyotypes, and biochemical composition of muscle in the F1 hybrid and its parents. The morphological results showed that total length and body height of the F1 hybrid appear to derive more from S. chuatsi than S. scherzeri. The DNA ploidy and karyotype results indicated that the F1 hybrid have a diploid chromosome number (2n = 48) and the same karyotypes (2n = 4sm + 14th+30t, NF = 52) with its parents, suggesting that the chromosome of the mandarin fish has convergence in the process of evolution. The results of biochemical composition of muscle showed that there were no significant difference in other nutritional indicators (P > 0.05), except the Gly (glycine) content of the F1 hybrid was significantly higher than that of S. chuatsi (P