Anatomical Studies The morphological features of the fish were examined using its original taxonomic description.

Seventy-five fishes (45 females, 30 males) were examined. Standard measurements were made namely total length, standard length, snout, eye diameter, postorbital, body height, first dorsal insertion, first dorsal base, second dorsal base, maxillary, insertion of the ventral, insertion of the anals, pectoral length, height of the first dorsal, height of second dorsal, height of anal, and height of ventral. All numerical data were tested in one way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) for overall test of the equality of the means. Ttest was also employed to determine the difference of each mean measurement between sexes. A 5% difference was used in all tests.

vertebral characters, fin morphology, pectoral-pelvic girdle complex, jaws, caudal skeleton, and the hyal apparatus; (2) gill raker formula, (3) scale structure and (4) gonadal anatomy. Differences between sexes were also determined all anatomical studies were done under the stereoscope and compound microscope and sketches were made using the camera lucida. Slide preparations of the skeletal system (excluding the dermatocranium), gills, scales and gonads were made. Preserved fish samples were soaked in 10% Sodium hydroxide for 15 to 30 minutes or until the muscles detach from the bony elements. These bony elements were cleaned with fresh sodium hydroxide solution, washed in tap water and finally washed in glycerine jelly. Vertebral characters were examined using the terminologies presented by Clothier (1950), namely: total vertebral counts, first hemal arch (HA), and first hemal spine (HC). The morphology of the caudal skeleton were compared to studies of the teleost tail of Regan (1910, 1911), and Gosline (1955, 1960, 1963) The number, shape, size and arrangement of teeth in each jaw for male and female were examined. Twenty males and twenty females were considered. A dental formula for the species were examined. Fin ray counts for all the fins were obtained. The terminology of the morphology as suggested by Clothier (1950) and Rau and Rau (1980) were used. The number of spinous rays were designated in Roman numerals and the soft rays in Arabic numerals. Attachment of the dermal fin rays on the pectoral and pelvic girdles, hyporals, and pterygrophores were also studied.

The structure of the hyal apparatus and the branchiostegal rays of M. lacustris were compared to the early works of Gosline (1955) and Smith (1951) on the other goboids. The gills and gonads were dissected from preserved specimens and then mounted with glycerine jelly. The gill raker formula was established by the number of gill rakers in the upper over the lower limb of the gill arch (Rau and Rau 1980). Scales were obtained by scraping the body wall with a dissecting needle or immersing the fish in sodium hydroxide solution for 3 to 10 minutes. The detached scales were then mounted directly in glycerine jelly. Two hundred scales were examined in this work. Fecundity Study on the fecundity was done by counting the number of ovulatory eggs per female. Seventy females were examined. Eggs from each female were preserved in Stockards solution and then counted to determine the relationship of egg counts with standard and total lengths statistically. Regression analyses were employed at 5% level of significance. Squash preparations of the ovary were also made to examine the ovarian condition. Thirty ovaries were considered for this purpose. The ovary was first fixed in Stockards solution and then placed over a clean microscopic slide. A drop of 45% glacial acetic acid was added to it., followed by two drops of acetocarmine. A cover slip was carefully placed on top of the specimen and then the tissue was gently squashed by

applying pressure over the cover slip using the handles of a dissecting needle. The mount was sealed with melted paraffin.

Life History Study Gravid females were the source of eggs which were artificially fertilized. Gravid females are characterized by their rounded yellow bellies with eggs. Several females were then stripped off. This eggs is placed to a clean petri dish containing about 10mL of aged tap water. The milt of the male is obtained in a similar manner and then mixed gently with the eggs agitating the dish for one minute. Part of the water in the dish was changed frequently with fresh aged tap water. The development of the egg up to swimming larvae was followed under the dissecting and compound microscope. Details of the development were best seen by examining a cluster of eggs using a depression slide at high magnification. These observations were compared with the earlier work on embryology of M. lacustris by Blanco (1947). Studies on the normal development of Salmonid fishes (Knight, 1963; Ballard, 1973), Kundulus heteroclitus (Armstrong and Child, 1965), Austrofundulus myersi (Wourms, 1972) and Tilapia milotica (Galman, 1980) were also used as reference.

Chromosome Analysis The karyotype of M. lacustris was studied. Chromosom presentations were obtained from regeneration blastemas of the cauadal fin about 2mm from the tip of the caudal fin border was cut using fine pointed scissors. The fishes were placed in separate aquarta (1 gallon capacin) and allowed to regenerate the cut fin for two days. Then the fish were transferred to a one-liter capacity beaker containing 0.01% colchicine solution for 3 hours. Heavy aeration were maintained during this treatment. The caudal fin was then separated with the use of sharp scalpel and the transferred to distilled water. After thirty minutes, the distilled water was poured out and about 10 ml of 45% acetic acid was added to the caudal fin blastemal enough to cover them. They were left in this solution for another 30 minutes with a watchmans forceps. The caudal fin was placed on clean microscope slides previously filled in 70% ethyl alcohol and a smear was made by blastuma on the side using the forceps. This preparation was passed over a low flame in order to affix the cells to the slide.This smear is then flooded with Glemsa stain and stood for fifteen to thirty minutes. Glemsa stained used in this study was a distilled solution of 0.68% Glemsa BDA in methyl glycerol. One mL of this prepared stain was diluted to 20mL of distilled water. After staining, the smear was rinsed with distilled water and then air-dried. For permanent preparations, the smears were cleared in xylene for one minute and mounted in Balsam. All slides were examined under

oil immersion. The nomenclature is suggested by Levan et al. (1964) was used in studying the morphology of the chromosomes and establishing the chromosome formula based on arm ration and centrome index.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Results of the chemical analyses of water used in the culture of M. lacustris showed the following ranges he the various water quality parameteral pH 0.8 to 3.8, 0.4 to 10 mo dissolved oxygen, 8 to 13 mo CaCO3 phenolph-thatein alakalinity and 8 to 12 mo CaCO3 hardness, 26 to 28C water temperature. Notes on the Anatomy of Mirogobius Lacustris (Fig. 1-2

Mirogobius lacustris Herre, Gobies of the Philippines and the China Sea, Philip. Bu. Sci. Monograph 23 (1827)93, 94, type locality Laguna de Bay, Luzon Island, Philippines; Notes on the Fishes in the Biological Museum, Stanford University, Fishes Herre Philip. Exped. 1931 (1934) 81; Roxas and Blanco, A redescrisption of the Genus Mirogobius Herre (Gobiidae), Phil. J. Sci. 64, 4 (1937) 338-339; Conlu, Guide to the Philippine Flora and Fauna, Fishes Vol. 1, MNR Report (1980) 102.

First dorsal V, sometimes IV; second dorsal II 7; Anals I 11; Pectorals 15; Pelvic, fused, 12. Body transparent, yellowish to creamy white, laterally compressed, elongate caudal peduncle, convex dorsal profile. Head large, round bulldog type in males, slenderer in females; eyes high up and lateral, intraorbital space convex profile more than eye diameter in width; mouth oblique with projecting lower jaw, large teeth visible in males when mouth closed, teeth in females minute in two rows, without postsymphysial canines as in males; large operculum, five branchiostegal rays. Vertebrae 25, Sides partially covered with microscopic ctenoid scales. Few stellate spots on the head, chin and sides of body abdomen with 16 spots, 8 on each side; 14 to 16 spots along ventral aspect from first postanal to last myomere. Genital papillae long and slender in males, short and stout in females.

Mature adults examined range from 17 to 24 milliliters in total length, longer than previous reports. The morphometrics of the species are summarized in table 1. Generally, the males measure shorter than the females.

For an overall test of significance for the equality of group means (male and female), one-way MANOVA shows that there is a relatively large variation of the total length, standard length, first dorsal base, anal insertion and height of ventrals with respect to sex. The percentage of these variations due to sex differences are reflected by the R-square values (Table 2). About 34.6% of the variation in total length, 34.7% in the standard length, 38.4% inn first dorsal base, 40.9% in anal insertion and 35.2% in height of ventrals could be attributed to the difference in sex. Statistical comparisons of the means of the said measurements are significantly different between sexes at 5% level of significance.

A. Vertebral Column (Fig.3) The vertebrae are twenty five in number, typically percoid just like its closely related species Mistichthyes luzonensis Smith (TeWinkel, 1935). The ultimate vertebra is in the form of an upturned urostyle which appears to be a result of uroneural ankylosis and fusion as compared to lower teleosts (Regan, 1910; Gosline, 1961). Articulation of the vertebrae is through direct apposition of the amphicoelus centra with no zygapophyses. Neural and hemal arches are extended into slender spines at the dorsal and ventral aspect of each centrum respectively. The first hemal arch (HA) is located at the tenth vertebra and the first hemal spine (HS) is at the eleventh vertebra. Spines of the penultimate vertebra are modified into thin plate-like structures which reinforces at the caudal skeleton. Each vertebra measures about 0.41 / 0.01 mm. Regions of the vertebra; column are usually divided into trunk and caudal vertebrae (Lagler et al. , 1976;

Rau and Rau, 1980). The trunk or abdominal vertebra bears the pleural ribs while the caudal vertebra bears the hemal spines. However, in the present work, further regionalization of the vertebral column is noted, namely; (1) cervical vertebra the first vertebra characterized by its direct connection to the skull through the atlas seen only at the ventral side. The cervical vertebra lacks any ventral appendage; (2) thoracic vertebra the succeeding nine vertebrae bearing broad parapophyses where the pleural ribs articulate. The neural arches at these vertebrae are considerably broader than the rest of the arches of the more posterior vertebrae; (3) lumbar vertebra the next ten vertebrae which have slender neural and hemal spines dorsal and ventral to the centrum, respectively. Both arches are locates at the anterior half of the vertebral body; (4) caudal vertebrae the last five vertebrae of similar arches like that of the vertebra in the lumbar region except that these are located at the posterior half of the vertebral body. The urostyle serves as attachment to the hypural fan of the caudal skeleton.

B. Caudal Skeleton (Fig. 4) The caudal skeleton of M. lacustris falls into the Type II category of telostan caudal skeletons as described by Gosline (1961). It is of the more advanced type where the hypural fan consisting of two wide plates and three epurals are attached to the urostyle. There are no uroneurals. These characterisitcis are deviations from the typical percoid

as exemplefie by Epinephalus sp. Where six separate hypurals, one unroneural and three epurals separation from the urostyle have been recorded (Gosline, 1963; Nag, 1967) The caudal skeletons are known to be diagnostic for the gobioids with the splint-like bones lying free above and below the hypural fan (Gosline, 1955). In the present work however, no similar structures have been observed except for a small flattened cartilaginous

structure below the hypural fan. Thin latter structure is attached to the hypurals. Furthermore, the caudal skeleton is reinforced by the modified neural and hemal arches of the penultimate vertebra. The hypural fan, epurals and the appendages of the penultimate vertebra are cartilaginous. At high magnification, chondrocytes are readily observed in all specimens examined (Figs 5-7) C. Pectoral Girdle (Fig.8) The well developed rounded pectoral fins are composed of fifteen dermal rays, thirteen of which are branched. These rays are attached to four cartilaginous pterygials or actinosts as in Mistichthyes luzonensis (TeWinnkel, 1935) and related gobies (Regan, 1911, Gosline, 1955). (Fig.9). The primary pectoral girdle consists of a bony cleithrum where the pterygials are attached. An upturned

supracleithrum is located anterior to the cleithrum. A post-cleithral strut forms a forklike structure with the supracleithrum. A small coracoids process is attached near the posterior end of the cleithrum and a small foramen separates these two structures. No

scapula is observed. These characters are consistent and diagnostic to gobies as suggested in earlier investigations (Regan, 1911; Gosline, 1955) D. Pelvic Girdle (Figs. 8,10) The pelvic girdle consists of two separate cartilaginous structures (Fig.11). the girdle articulates to the posterior end of the cliethrum. Typical of gobies, the pelvic fins are united forming a cupshaped structure and each fin has four or five branched rays (Herre, 1927). M. lacustris however, deviates from other gobies in that, the fin halves are composed of six dermal rays, four of which are branched. No spines are present.

E. Fins (Figs. 12-14) The first dorsals have five, sometimes four spines. The fin originates over the fourth vertebra. The second spine is the longest with a mean length of 2.0 mm. Each spine rests on a single pterygiophore and on one-to-one relationship with the vertebral column below them. The second dorsals are made up of nine rays. The first and the last are weak flexible spines while the rays in between are soft and branched. The last ray is forked and originates on the same base. Each ray has corresponding basal support. The second dorsal starts over the tenth vertebra which is the HA position. The anals consists of twelve rays, all of which are soft except for the last which is forked spine. The first ray is unbranched. The fin starts over the ninth vertebra. As in typical percoids, sixteen dermal rays compose the caudal fin attached to the hypurals by means of ligaments (Nag, 1967). Four of the rays, two lying on the

dorsal and ventral aspect of the fin, are unbranched (Figg.3,4) F. Scales (Fig. 15) Contrary to previous reports that M. lacustris is naked (Herre, 1927; Conlu, 1980), the specimens examined have minute ctenoid scales partially covering the body. An earlier study (Roxas and Blanco, 1937) however, indicated that minute scales cover the body of the fish. In the present work, only the trunk is observed to be covered with scales. There are about three to fifteen ctenes at the exposed surface of the scales. Out of the two hundred scales examined, 40 to 50% of the scales have eleven spines and 18% with seven spines. The remaining 32% possess variable number of ctenes. G. Branchial Arches (Figs. 16-17) The glossohyal of M. lacustris is a forked structure, notably a specialization within the Family Gobiidae

(Takagi,1950). At its posterior end, two braod plates of the hypohyal are attached. These latter structures further continue with the long slender ceratohyal and then the much broader epihyal. A rudimentary interhyal is located at the tip of each epihyal. Five branchiostegal rays are associated with the hyoid arch. One ray is attached to the middle portion of the ceratohyal while the rest are

attached to the epihyal. This configuration is commonly described as 1 4 branchiostegal sequence and which has been noted also for Eleotris sp., Kraemeria sp. (Gosline, 1955) and Paragobioides (Smith, 1951). This characteristic is said to be unique for all gobies. There are four gill arches found in the species just like any other percoids. The lower limb of each arch is characteristically longer than the upper limb. Usually, there are two or four gill rakers at the upper limb, and sixteen rakers at lower limb. The rakers are arranged

rows and spaced evenly. Gill raker formula is 2/16. H. Jaws (Figs. 18-21) The jaw of M. lacustris is sexually dimorphic. In males, the

premaxilla has eight pairs sometimes seven or nine pairs of caniniform teeth. The teeth are arranged in one row and spaced widely. The first pair is the long-est measuring an average of 0.44 mm (range 0.14 to 0.45 mm). The other teeth are about the same size ranging from 0.16 to 9.25 mm. The mandibles of the males have seven to nine pairs of teeth arranged in one row. The first four pairs of teeth are long and relatively stout, the third being the longest has an average length of 0.16 mm (range 0.14 to 0.17 mm). a pair of postsymphysial canines is present behind the outer row and measures an average of 0.32 mm long (range 0.30 to 0.35 mm). In females, both jaws have very small curved caniniform teeth spaced evenly. These are arranged in two

the rows contrary to previous reports (Herre, 1927; Roxas and Blanco, 1937; Conlu, 1980). Teeth length averages 0.06 mm (range 0.05 to 0.08 mm). The number of teeth at the upper jaw ranges from 42 to 58 pairs and 44 to 60 pairs at the lower jaw. I. Gonadal Morphology (Figs. 22-23)

The male gonads consist of two leaf-like structures dorsal to the seminal vesicle. The testes are spotted with dark stellate pigments. A spermatic duct originates at the distal end of each testis. Distally, the two ducts fuse before they connect to the seminal vesicle. This latter structure is composed of transparent fingerlike saccular structures which fused at their distal ends forming a single tube that extends to the long and slender genital papilla. In live specimens, a slight pressure applied on the seminal vesicles releases the stored milt. Female gonadal features are simpler than that of the male. The female gonad is composed of two elongated

tubular structures which contain eggs of various degrees of maturation. These tubular structures fuse posteriorly forming a small and relatively thicker genital papillae. The ovaries of the gravid female laden with yellowish ovulatory eggs occupy almost entirely the abdominal cavity. J. Sexual Dimorphies Several morphological characters distinctly separate the sexes of M. lacustris as shown in Table 3. In other gobies, the sexes are usually differentiated in color patterns and the morphology of the genital or anal papillae (Herre, 1927). For eleotrid gobies (Family Eleoridae), distinct color patterns are brighter in males as in Asterropteryx everetti where males have black dorsals with rounded white sopots while the females have dull grey dorsals; and in Hypseleotris bipartite where females have vague dark lateral band from the axil of the pectorals to the caudal fin while males

Table 3. Dimorphic characteristics of M. lacustris CHARACTER Length MALE Shorter (19.66 mm; 17-22 mm) Yellowish Slunt, Bulldog type Long canines in one row only; postsympysial canines at lower jaw; usually 8 pairs of teeth Long and slender FEMALE Longer (20.7 mm; 1924 mm) Creamy white to yellow Slender Short curve teeth in two rows; no postsymphysial canines; 44 to 50 pairs of teeth Short and stout

Body color Head

Definition

Genital papilla

have brighter colors with marked fins. Dimorphism in true gobies (Family Gobiidae) on the other hand are indicated by the size of the anal papillae. In most species, females have thicker, shorter and rounded anal papillae while the males have elongated, slenderer and pointed papillae as in Mistichthyes luzoniensis, Macrogorella intonsa, Gobius ornatus, Vaimoso piapensis, V. rivalis, V. saponga, Aparrius maloanus and Rhinogobius sp. Other characters have also been found sexually dimorphic in gobies like size of the mouth, head and morphology of the dorsal fins (Herre, 1927). Males of Vaimosa dispar have larger mouths and the posterior angle of the maxillary extends to the posterior margin of the eye. In Chonophorus lachrymosus, it is found that the males have four to five rows of small hooked teeth and the tips of the third, fourth and fifth spines of the first dorsals are much elongated and extended beyond the axil of

the second dorsals. Females of the latterspecies have elevated spinous dorsals but not elongated. Fecundity of Mirogobius lacustris Bagenal (1971) defined fecundity as the number of ripening eggs (i,e., ovulatory eggs) found in the ovaries prior to spawning. Estimation

of this reproductive index is important in many respects, namely: (1) in comparing different stocks; (2) in estimating population sizes and (3) in studies related to population dynamics relative to their culture in ponds. Fecundity indices have been established in many cultured species. Egg counts are correlated with total and standard lengths, body and ovarian weight. In species that oviposit all their eggs in one spawning season, fecundity is a function of the total and standard lengths. The relationship is usually curviliniear as shown in Labeo rohita (Varghese, 1972), Coilla ramcarati (Varghese, 1976), Channa punctata