Histomorphological and Dynamical Changes in Female River Lampreys during Maturation under Controlled Conditions as a Part of Lamprey Restoration Programs
, Roman Kujawa 3, Shahid Sherzada 4, Dariusz Kucharczyk 1,3,*, Mateusz Mikiewicz 5, Katarzyna Dryl 6, Andrzej Kapusta 2, Joanna Łuczyńska 7 and Hany M. R. Abdel-Latif 8Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsComments to the Author:
The authors systematacially reviewed histomorphological and dynamical changes in the female river lampreys during maturation. The results will provide a guidance for the restitution of lampreys and their artificial reproduction. However, some suggestions and revisions are needed for the paper before it could be preferably accepted.
1. Please add the growth index, such as body weight and body length, to the results at each sampling time.
2. In line 31-32, “Female river lampreys were kept in conditions that mimicked the natural environment”. Please add the detailed settings of these spawner tanks, including the photo of exterior tanks, and the values of water quality and currents, to “2.3. Broodstock management”.
3. The concentration of reproductive hormone intuitively indicates the reproductive status of broodstock, so I highly suggest to add related dynamical changes in oocyte maturation in this species.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageMinor editing of English language required.
Author Response
- Please add the growth index, such as body weight and body length, to the results at each sampling time.
Answer: Table with body weight and body length was added to MS.
- In line 31-32, “Female river lampreys were kept in conditions that mimicked the natural environment”. Please add the detailed settings of these spawner tanks, including the photo of exterior tanks, and the values of water quality and currents, to “2.3. Broodstock management”.
Answer: The spawners were kept in tanks operating in a closed aquaculture system (RAS), described earlier by Kujawa et al., (1999). The system consists of 4 pools of 1 m3 capacity, in which the breeders are kept, often separated by sex, and 2 retention tanks, filter. And in devices for regulating temperature (heating or cooling) controlled by a thermoregulator and light control systems connected to a control timer or a photocell led outside the building. Additionally, the pools are covered, preventing the breeders from jumping out. The color of the tangs walls is dark green.
Information was added in MS.
- The concentration of reproductive hormone intuitively indicates the reproductive status of broodstock, so I highly suggest to add related dynamical changes in oocyte maturation in this species.
Answer: Unfortunately, we did not test any hormones in this species at the beginning or end of the experiment. Because lampreys die after a while, unfortunately we no longer have this population in our laboratory. Determining the steroid hormones responsible for oocyte development will only be possible after repetition and further studies. However, we will consider the reviewer's suggestions in future studies on this species.
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsPDF is included, attached to this review sheet.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
The English is pretty good. Just a few word changes, and remove the anthropogenic possessives for lampreys and fish.
Author Response
Line 29: Delete: „own”
Answer: I was correct.
Line 37: Delete: „and”
Answer: I was correct.
Line 40: Also, there was....
Answer: I was correct.
Line 40: In the oocyte
Answer: I was correct.
Line 71: After reaching only several…
Answer: I was correct.
Line 73: fish; often these species are economically valuable; e.g., sea trout…
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Line 76: undertake a spawning migration will develop.…
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Line 79: but is now regarded…
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Line 82: northwestern
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Line 82: comma, delete parentheses.
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Line 90: spawning act itself
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Line 94: details of the reproductive biology
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Line 94: Delete: in detail
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Line 95: young for stocking.
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Line 96: reproductive biology
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Line 96: Delete „party”
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Line 96: partly under
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Line 100: Delete: also
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Line 107: must
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Line 109: mimic
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Line 112: restoring
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Line 112: have been conducted
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Line 113: Delete „out”
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Line 121: At this time
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Line 122: Add „but”
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Line 122: must be granted for obtaining
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Line 123: Delete: „was obtained”
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Line 124: conducted
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Line 124: in Poland
Answer: I was correct.
Line 129: insert map of collection sites here.
Answer: Due to the large number of figures in the MS, we decided that instead of a map we would add a detailed sampling location in the MS text.
Line 135: 1m3
Answer: I was correct.
Line 149: 100/m3
Answer: I was correct.
Line 149: 100 g/m3
Answer: It was corrected
Line 154: deleted “then”, then
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Line 155: all specimens
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Line 191: largest or biggest
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Line 194: Put the number of specimens used in creating this graph (n = ?).
Also, are the number of specimens examined the same for each month? Last sentence -- put the statistical test used to determine significance.
Answer: It was corrected
Line 195: monthly
Answer: It was corrected
Line 197: All figure captions need to be changed. "Their" refers to lamprey, and they cannot be possessive. Use "the".
Answer: It was corrected
Line 204: Put the number of specimens used in creating this graph (n = ?).
Also, are the number of specimens examined the same for each month? Last sentence -- put the statistical test used to determine significance.
Answer: It was corrected
Line 228: Include the number of specimens (n = ?). Change "their" to "the". Last sentence, indicate statistical test.
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 211: the
Answer: It was corrected
Line 228: Include the number of specimens (n = ?). Change "their" to "the". Last sentence, indicate statistical test.
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 211: the
Answer: It was corrected
Line 228: Include the number of specimens (n = ?). Change "their" to "the". Last sentence, indicate statistical test.
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 257: See above comment : no
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 267: n = ?
statistical test used.
change their to the. It was corrected.
Do all months have the same number of specimens examined? Yes
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 268: natural
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 291: at ages 3 and 4,
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Line 297: that slow
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Line 305: However, a greater GSI observed in
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Line 307: monitoring
Answer: It was corrected.
Line 327: in relation to the mean wet weight of 173.8 g
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Line 344: April of this study,
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Line 357: were observed
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Line 365: of this study,
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Line 412: on the one hand,
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Line 438: Check all references for consistency in capitalizing words in the title.
check all scientific names to ensure italics.
N carriage return (enter) after a line preceding the ending -- it puts extra spaces between the words.
Answer: It was corrected.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsReview of “Histomorphological and dynamical changes in the female river lampreys, during maturation under controlled conditions”
This manuscript describes histological changes in stomach, liver, and ovaries during river lamprey migration period. Authors maintained lampreys in captivity and sampled six individuals monthly. The data appear to be valid and robust. I would like to see additional information about condition / weight change of these lampreys. They do not feed during migration, and were not fed in captivity?
Specific suggestions:
Lines 16-19: not all lampreys use oceans. Many US lampreys spend their lives in freshwater only. See your reference 5.
Lines 76-77: modify to “The digestive system of lampreys that undertake spawning migrations atrophies because of a long-term. . . “
Line 79: add “yet” after the ,
Line 192: what was the female weight loss?
Line 201: Figure 1 legend. Change to “Dynamic” changes
Line 205: modify to “. . . with different letters to indicate . . . “
Line 293: “length”
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageSee above
Author Response
This manuscript describes histological changes in stomach, liver, and ovaries during river lamprey migration period. Authors maintained lampreys in captivity and sampled six individuals monthly. The data appear to be valid and robust. I would like to see additional information about condition / weight change of these lampreys. They do not feed during migration, and were not fed in captivity?
Answer: Lampreys, like the European eel, stop eating during migration. Female river lampreys in our study were not fed. A table with the results of the average weight and length of the body weight of female river lampreys was added to MS.
Specific suggestions:
Lines 16-19: not all lampreys use oceans. Many US lampreys spend their lives in freshwater only. See your reference 5.
Answer: I was correct.
Lines 76-77: modify to “The digestive system of lampreys that undertake spawning migrations atrophies because of a long-term. . . “
Answer: I was correct.
Line 79: add “yet” after the,
Answer: This sentence has already been corrected
Line 192: what was the female weight loss?
Answer: Female lampreys lost about 30% of their body weight. This information was added in MS.
Line 201: Figure 1 legend. Change to “Dynamic” changes
Answer: I was correct.
Line 205: modify to “. . . with different letters to indicate . . . “
Answer: I was correct.
Line 293: “length”
Answer: I was correct.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsComments to the Authors:
The results researched the role of the liver in the oocyte maturation in the river lampreys. I suggested that the manuscript could be accepted in present form.
Comments on the Quality of English LanguageMinor editing of English language required.
