Monthly day/night changes and seasonal daily rhythms of sexual steroids in Senegal sole ( Solea senegalensis) under natural fluctuating or controlled environmental conditions

In this paper we attempted to investigate the existence of daily fluctuations on plasma sexual steroids (17β-estradiol, E 2 and testosterone, T) in Senegal sole ( Solea senegalensis) females. We described the monthly day/night concentrations and seasonal daily rhythms in animals reared under natural photo- and thermo-period. In addition, the influence of the natural annual fluctuation of the water temperature on the plasma concentration of these steroids was investigated, using one group of Senegal sole under a natural photoperiod, but with an attenuated thermal cycle (around 17–20 °C) for one year. Although no significant day/night differences were detected in monthly samplings, the existence of an annual rhythm of E 2 and T ( p < 0.01) with an acrophase in February was revealed by COSINOR analysis. Maximum values were reached in March for both steroids (6.1 ± 1.7 ng mL − 1 at mid-dark, MD and 4.0 ± 0.6 ng mL − 1 at mid-light, ML for E2 and 1.4 ± 0.4 ng mL − 1 at MD and 0.8 ± 0.1 ng mL − 1 at ML for T) in anticipation of the spawning season (May–June). As regards seasonal daily rhythms, the presence of daily oscillations was revealed. At the spring solstice (21st March) a daily rhythm was observed for both steroids (COSINOR, p < 0.01), with an acrophase at 20:00 h (E 2) and at 21:08 h (T). In summer, autumn and winter no daily rhythms were observed due to the low steroid levels at those seasons. When Senegal sole females were submitted to an attenuated annual thermal cycle, the steroid rhythm disappeared (there was no surge in spring, as in the control group) and these fish did not spawn, despite being subjected to natural photoperiod conditions. This result underlined the importance of the natural annual fluctuation of water temperature and photoperiod on the synchronization of the spawning season and on the onset of steroidogenesis.