Reproductive patterns in the parrot rock bass
The reproductive patterns of the parrot rock bass (Paralabrax loro) have not been formally studied histologically despite their integral role in the fishing and sportfishing industries. The parrot rock bass is a shallow-reef predator that is found off the Pacific coast of Mexico, and while other members of the Paralabrax genus are suspected to go through a hermaphroditic stage, it is unknown whether or not the parrot rock bass possesses the same pattern. For this project, a total of around 150 individuals were collected during the spawning seasons of 1999 and 2001. I will be making slides of gonad tissue and analyzing them under a microscope to see if the same hermaphroditic pattern can be observed in the parrot rock bass, or if something else is occurring. With the data collected, fisheries management can assess their current strategies and determine if they need to take extra precautions as to not overfish a certain sex.
Marisa is a Music Production major and will continue working in the lab during the 2022-23 academic year.