본 실험은 동남참게, Eriocheir japonicus의 명확한 생식년주기를 밝히기 위하여, 그들의 자연 서식처인 섬진강에서 채집한 성체 참게의 생식소 조직의 계절적인 변화 그리고, 암 참게 생식소의 성숙과 산란에 미치는 환경요인 즉, 온도, 광주기 그리고, 염분 농도에 대하여 조사하였다. 암 참게의 생식소 발달과 GSI의 계절적 변화를 기초로하여 생식년주기를 다음과 같이 4단계로 구분하였다: 난황형성전기$9{sim}10$월), GSI는 낮았으며, 난소내에는 난황형성전기와 감수분열전기의 난모세포들을 가지고 있었다; 성숙기(11월$sim$다음해 3월), GSI는 점차적로 증가하여 난모세포내에는 난황구들이 축적되었다;에는 영향을 받지 않았다. 광주기 조건(12L12D, 9L15D)에 관계없이, $10^{circ}C$ 실험군의 암 참게보다, $18^{circ}C$ 실험군의 암 참게의 GSI가 더욱더 증가하였다. 그리고, $26^{circ}C$ 실험군에서 두 개의 광주기 조건(12L12D, 9L15D)에서 암 참게의 GSI는 변화하지 않았으며, 난소내에는 난황이 축적되고 있는 난모세포들은 없었다. 산란은 수온과 염분 농도에 의하여 많은 영향을 받으며, 난황형성중인 암 참게는 두 달간 사육하여도, $10^{circ}C$에서는 전혀 산란을 하지 않았으며, $18^{circ}C$와 $26^{circ}C$에서 사육한 암 참게의 반 이상은 염분 농도 9.6%o와 19.2%o의 조건하에서 산란하였다. 그러나, 염분 농도 0.0%o의 조건에서는 산란한 암 참게가 한 마리도 없었다.
The present study was designed to clarify aspects of the annual reproductive cycle of the fresh water mitten crab, Eriocheir japonicus inhabiting Sumjin river, and to determine the adequate conditions of temperature, photoperiod and salinity on the gonadal maturation and breeding of adult female crabs. Based on the seasonal changes of GSIs and gonadal histology of adult crabs, the annual reproductive cycle could be divided into 4 periods as follows: previtellogenesis period (from September to October) when GSIs were low value and ovaries had oocytes in previtellogenesis stage and meiotic prophase stage; maturing period (from November to March of the next year) when GSIs increased gradually and ovarian oocytes accumulated yolk globules; spawning period (from April to June) when high value of GSI of female was kept and ovigerous female appeared; resting period (from July to August) when GSIs decreased rapidly, and vitellogenic oocytes degenerated. Gonadal maturation was influenced by water temperature, but not photoperiod and salinity. GSI more increased in experimental regime of $18^{circ}C$ than that of $10^{circ}C$ regardless of photoperiod conditions (12L12D and 15L9D). However, in $26^{circ}C$ regime of both photoperiod conditions, the value of GSI was not changed, and vitellogenic oocytes were not observed. Spawning was considerably influenced by water temperatures and salinities regardless of photoperiods. Vitellogenic female crabs did not spawn at $10^{circ}C$ in any salinity conditions. However, at $18^{circ}C$ and $26^{circ}C$, over a half of rearing female crabs spawned in condition of 30% sea water (salinity 9.6%o) and 60% sea water (salinity 19.2%o), while no female spawned in freshwater condition (salinity 0.0%o).
