The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and the parental contribution of Piaractus mesopotamicus in the production of offspring in the semi-natural system of reproduction. Twenty parental fishes (eleven males and nine females) and the total of 100 larvae were evaluated by microsatellite marker. The parents and offspring had thirty-one alleles and heterozygosity of 0.550 and 0.563, respectively. The females were fertilised by two up to six males while the males fertilised three up to five females. The contribution of the females and males to the offspring were 66.6 and 58%, respectively. Such results indicated no loss in the genetic variability in the offspring, and the parents had multiple paternity and reasonable contribution to the offspring production.
Genetic variability; Stock enhancement programme; Reproductive management
