Studies on the influence of Androgens on the Reproductive Physiology of the Groupers.

Specimens of Epinephelus diacanthus, a smaller sized protogynous grouper were experimented to study the process of sex reversal by feeding diets having two different concentrations (0.5mg and I.Omg / kg body weight) of the androgen 17a-Methyl testosterone for a period of 80 days. Morphological and histological studies showed that both the diets irrespective of the concentration of the androgen initiatedsex reversal even on the 25'^ day of the experiment. The reversal of sex from female to male was complete on the 40"’ day of the experiment. The gonads remained in the same stage on the 60'^ day and 80"^ day of the experimental period. However functional maturity of the testes was not achieved. In control groups of fishes which were fed with the same diet without hormone, fishes remained as females in immature stages