{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T07:11:43Z","timestamp":1778483503924,"version":"3.51.4"},"update-to":[{"DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.173271.1","type":"new_version","label":"New version","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776988800000}}],"reference-count":46,"publisher":"F1000 Research Ltd","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776988800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100019586","name":"Arturo Prat University","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100019586","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["f1000research.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["F1000Res"],"abstract":"<ns3:p>\n                    Background The study of the reproductive biology of pelagic fish species, such as\n                    <ns3:bold>\n                      <ns3:italic>Sarda chiliensis<\/ns3:italic>\n                    <\/ns3:bold>\n                    (Bonito), is essential for effective fisheries management and aquaculture development. Overfishing has significantly impacted the population of pelagic fish species, making it crucial to understand their reproductive cycles, including maturity stages and spawning periods, to ensure sustainable exploitation. Methods This study provides the first histological characterization of the early gonadal stages of\n                    <ns3:bold>\n                      <ns3:italic>Sarda chiliensis<\/ns3:italic>\n                    <\/ns3:bold>\n                    from northern Chile. A total of 444 specimens were collected from artisanal fisheries between December 2013 and June 2014. Gonadal maturity stages were identified using histological techniques, and a range of microscopic stains (Hematoxylin-Eosin, Van Gieson, and Periodic Acid\u2013Schiff ) were employed to examine the cellular structure of the gonads. Results Two key gonadal stages\u2014inactive and previtellogenic\u2014were identified in females, while males exhibited both immature and mature stages. Histological observations revealed distinct characteristics of early gonadal development, including primary oocytes and spermatogonia, with evidence of early vitellogenesis in females. No mature females were observed, and the smallest mature female recorded was 48.5 cm in total length. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) exhibited temporal fluctuations, with a peak observed in February. Conclusions This study provides vital histological data on the early gonadal stages of\n                    <ns3:bold>\n                      <ns3:italic>Sarda chiliensis<\/ns3:italic>\n                    <\/ns3:bold>\n                    from northern Chile, offering a baseline for future reproductive studies and aquaculture initiatives. The absence of mature females in the sample highlights the need for broader temporal and spatial sampling to fully characterize the reproductive cycle. These findings are crucial for developing sustainable fisheries management strategies and improving broodstock conditioning for aquaculture.\n                  <\/ns3:p>","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.173271.2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]],"date-time":"2026-04-24T10:14:08Z","timestamp":1777025648000},"page":"1346","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["First Gonadal Stages of Bonito, Sarda chiliensis (Perciformes: Scombridae) on the Pacific Coast of Northern Chile"],"prefix":"10.12688","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7630-1411","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Renzo","family":"Pepe-Victoriano","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, \u00c1rea de Biolog\u00eda Marina y Acuicultura Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 2120 Universidad Arturo Prat"},{"name":"N\u00facleo de Investigaci\u00f3n Aplicada e Innovaci\u00f3n en Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 1110939 Universidad Arturo Prat"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marcos","family":"Godoy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Biotecnolog\u00eda Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias de la Naturaleza Patagonia Puerto Montt 5480000 Universidad San Sebastian"},{"name":"Puerto Montt 5480000 Centro de Investigaciones Biol\u00f3gicas Aplicadas"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Karina","family":"Kush","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Puerto Montt 5480000 Centro de Investigaciones Biol\u00f3gicas Aplicadas"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7381-8004","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jordan I","family":"Huanacuni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Campus Tacna Tacna Tacna 23003 Universidad Tecnol\u00f3gica del Per\u00fa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Felipe","family":"M\u00e9ndez-Abarca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, \u00c1rea de Biolog\u00eda Marina y Acuicultura Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 2120 Universidad Arturo Prat"},{"name":"N\u00facleo de Investigaci\u00f3n Aplicada e Innovaci\u00f3n en Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 1110939 Universidad Arturo Prat"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Luis","family":"Espinoza-Ramos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"N\u00facleo de Investigaci\u00f3n Aplicada e Innovaci\u00f3n en Ciencias Biol\u00f3gicas Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 1110939 Universidad Arturo Prat"},{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n Acuicultura Sostenible Tacna Tacna 23004 Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann"},{"name":"Escuela de Ingenier\u00eda Pesquera Tacna Tacna 23004 Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Juan Zen\u00f3n","family":"Resurrecci\u00f3n-Huertas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Escuela de Ingenier\u00eda Acu\u00edcola, Facultad de Ingenier\u00eda Pesquera Huacho Lima Region 15135 Universidad Nacional Jose Faustino Sanchez Carrion"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Rodrigo","family":"Cort\u00e9s","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, \u00c1rea de Biolog\u00eda Marina y Acuicultura Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 2120 Universidad Arturo Prat"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Manuel","family":"Vergara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Recursos Naturales Renovables, \u00c1rea de Biolog\u00eda Marina y Acuicultura Iquique Tarapac\u00e1 Region 2120 Universidad Arturo Prat"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"2560","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"035-044","DOI":"10.15381\/rpb.v20i1.2617","article-title":"Scale of Gonad Maturity Stages of Jack Mackerel Trachurus murphyi Nichols 1920.","volume":"20","author":"J S\u00e1nchez","year":"2013","journal-title":"Rev. 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Fish Biol."}],"container-title":["F1000Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2\/xml","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2\/pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2\/iparadigms","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,11]],"date-time":"2026-05-11T06:44:10Z","timestamp":1778481850000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]]},"references-count":46,"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12688\/f1000research.173271.2","relation":{"has-version":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.12688\/f1000research.173271.1","asserted-by":"subject"}],"has-review":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478858","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478859","asserted-by":"subject"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478858","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478859","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["2046-1402"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2046-1402","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,24]]},"assertion":[{"value":"Indexed","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2#article-reports","order":0,"name":"referee-status","label":"Referee status","group":{"name":"current-referee-status","label":"Current Referee Status"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.191067.r440594, Darmawan Setia Budi, Universitas Airlangga, East Java, 30 Dec 2025, version 1, 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations, 1 not approved","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v1#referee-response-440594","order":0,"name":"referee-response-440594","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"<b>Jordan Ismael Huanacuni Pilco<\/b>; \n<i>Posted: 08 Mar 2026<\/i>; \n<b>Reviewer Report \u2013 REVIEWER 1<\/b>  \n<b>General assessment<\/b> This manuscript presents a detailed histological description of the early gonadal development of&nbsp;\n<i>Sarda chiliensis<\/i>&nbsp;collected from the northern coast of Chile. The study provides valuable baseline information, particularly because histological descriptions of early gonadal stages for this species in this region are currently scarce. The work is generally well written, methodologically sound, and clearly structured, and it aligns well with the descriptive and data-driven scope of F1000Research. The authors appropriately acknowledge the main limitations of the study, particularly the restricted temporal coverage and the absence of mature females. Overall, the data appear reliable, and the conclusions are supported by the results presented. With minor clarifications and some improvements in presentation and contextualization, this article would represent a useful contribution to fisheries biology and reproductive studies of pelagic fishes.  Response: Dear Reviewer, We sincerely thank you for the careful evaluation of our manuscript and for your constructive comments. We appreciate your positive assessment of the methodological rigor and clarity of the study. Your suggestions have helped us improve the manuscript, particularly in clarifying the scope of the results, strengthening the contextual discussion, and improving presentation details. Below we address each comment individually.  \n<b>Major comments<\/b>  \n<b>1. Scope and interpretation of results<\/b> The study focuses exclusively on early gonadal stages (inactive and previtellogenic in females; immature and mature in males). While this is clearly stated, some sections of the Discussion occasionally imply broader conclusions regarding the reproductive cycle of&nbsp;\n<i>S. chiliensis<\/i>. I recommend further emphasizing that the findings are limited to early stages and should not be extrapolated to define the full reproductive cycle or spawning dynamics.  \n<b>Response:<\/b> We appreciate this important observation. The intention of this study was strictly to document and describe the early gonadal stages observed in \n<i>Sarda chiliensis<\/i>. Following the reviewer\u2019s suggestion, we revised several sections of the Discussion to explicitly emphasize that our findings are limited to the early stages of gonadal development and should not be interpreted as describing the full reproductive cycle or spawning dynamics of the species.  We have added the following to the end of the fifth paragraph of the discussion: \n<i>It is important to note that the present study focused exclusively on the early gonadal stages observed in <\/i>\n<i>Sarda chiliensis<\/i>\n<i>. Consequently, the findings should be interpreted as a descriptive characterization of initial gonadal development rather than as a complete representation of the species' reproductive cycle. Additional studies covering a broader temporal range and including mature females would be necessary to fully describe the spawning dynamics and reproductive cycle of this species in the study region.<\/i>  \n<b>2. Sampling design and representativeness<\/b> Sampling was conducted over a single period (December\u2013June of one year) and from one main fishing area. Although this limitation is acknowledged, it would be useful to explicitly discuss how spatial segregation or seasonal migration of mature females could bias the observed sex and maturity composition, particularly in the Results or Discussion. \n<b>Response:<\/b> We thank the reviewer for highlighting this point. We agree that spatial segregation or seasonal movements of mature females may influence the observed maturity composition. To address this, we have expanded the Discussion section to acknowledge that mature females may occur in other areas or seasons not covered by our sampling period, which could explain their absence in the collected specimens. We have added the following to the end of the fifth paragraph of the discussion: \n<i>The absence of mature females in the analyzed samples may be related to spatial or seasonal segregation patterns. In many pelagic fish species, reproductive individuals may migrate to specific spawning areas or occupy habitats different from those exploited by local fisheries. Therefore, it is possible that mature females of S. chiliensis occur in other areas or during periods not covered by the present sampling. Future studies incorporating wider spatial and temporal sampling would help clarify the reproductive distribution patterns of this species.<\/i>  \n<b>3. Statistical analyses<\/b> The exploratory statistical analyses (e.g. GSI vs. temperature, condition factor relationships) are appropriately described as non-confirmatory. However, the manuscript would benefit from a clearer justification of why these analyses were included and how readers should interpret their biological relevance given the limited temporal resolution. \n<b>Response:<\/b> We appreciate this suggestion. The exploratory analyses were included to provide preliminary insights into possible relationships between environmental conditions and biological indices. However, we agree that these results should be interpreted cautiously due to the limited temporal coverage. We have clarified this purpose in the Methods and Discussion sections. We have added to the end of subsection 2.5 Statistical analyses \n<i>Given the limited temporal coverage of the dataset, these analyses should be interpreted cautiously and are intended primarily to identify potential patterns that may guide future research rather than to establish definitive biological relationships.<\/i>  \n<b>Minor comments<\/b>  \n<b>1.&nbsp;Terminology consistency<\/b> Please ensure consistent use of maturity stage terminology throughout the manuscript (e.g. \u201cinactive\u201d vs. \u201cdormant\u201d females) to avoid confusion. \n<b>Response:<\/b> Thank you for pointing this out. We carefully reviewed the manuscript and standardized the terminology used to describe gonadal stages throughout the text to ensure consistency. Females were classified as inactive or previtellogenic according to histological characteristics.  \n<b>2. Figures and tables<\/b>    There is a typographical error in&nbsp;\n<b>Figure 2<\/b>, where&nbsp;\n<i>\u201cmadurity\u201d<\/i>&nbsp;should be corrected to&nbsp;\n<b>\u201cmaturity.\u201d<\/b> Please standardize the formatting of scale bars in all histological images by adding a space between the numerical value and the unit (e.g.&nbsp;\n<b>200 <\/b>\n<b>\u03bc<\/b>\n<b>m<\/b>&nbsp;instead of 200\u03bcm), and ensure consistency between the scale bars shown in the figures and the corresponding descriptions in the figure captions. The histological figures are generally informative; however, consistent labeling (using uniform scale bars) and formatting across figures would further improve clarity.&nbsp;    \n<b>Response:<\/b> We thank the reviewer for noticing this error. The typographical error in Figure 2 has been corrected from \u201cmadurity\u201d to \u201cmaturity.\u201d All scale bars now include a space between the numerical value and the unit (e.g., 200 \u03bcm), and the formatting has been made consistent across figures and captions Histological figures were revised to ensure consistent labeling and formatting throughout the manuscript.  \n<b>3.&nbsp;Language and style<\/b> The manuscript is generally clear and readable. Minor grammatical and stylistic edits would further improve flow, particularly in longer Discussion paragraphs. These issues do not affect the scientific content. \n<b>Response:<\/b> We appreciate this suggestion and performed an additional revision of the manuscript to improve clarity and readability. Minor grammatical and stylistic edits were implemented throughout the manuscript.  \n<b>4.&nbsp;Data availability statement<\/b> The data availability section is clear. It may be helpful to briefly indicate which variables are included in the shared dataset (e.g. morphometrics, GSI values, maturity stages). \n<b>Response:<\/b> Thank you for this suggestion. The Data Availability section has been expanded to briefly indicate that the dataset includes morphometrics, GSI values, maturity stages and Fulton\u2019s condition factor.","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2#referee-comment-15606","order":1,"name":"referee-comment-15606","label":"Referee Comment","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478858, Constantinos C Mylonas, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, 06 May 2026, version 2, indexed","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2#referee-response-478858","order":2,"name":"referee-response-478858","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"10.5256\/f1000research.197464.r478859, Md. Mahiuddin Zahangir, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chattogram, 11 May 2026, version 2, indexed","URL":"https:\/\/f1000research.com\/articles\/14-1346\/v2#referee-response-478859","order":3,"name":"referee-response-478859","label":"Referee Report","group":{"name":"article-reports","label":"Article Reports"}},{"value":"The author(s) declared that no grants were involved in supporting this work","order":4,"name":"grant-information","label":"Grant Information"},{"value":"This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.","order":0,"name":"copyright-info","label":"Copyright"}]}}