Phenotypic indicators for cultured pearl size improvement in the black‐lipped pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera): towards selection for the recipient growth performance

The black‐lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, is the most important farmed species in French Polynesia and the basis of the most valuable export industry. Mass production of black pearls relies on a surgical operation requiring tissue from a donor pearl oyster to be grafted, together with a nucleus made of shell, into the gonad of a recipient oyster. Improving pearl size through family selection remains one of the main challenges for future aquaculture development. This study analyses the relative contribution of donor and recipient oysters to pearl size. To this end, hatchery‐produced donor oysters of two batches, large and small (based on shell height), were used to supply grafts for recipients, which were then monitored individually for their growth performance by recording shell height, width, and thickness, and total live weight (flesh + shells) every 6 months (four biometric measurement times) over 20 months of culture. Pearls issued from the two batches of donors showed no significant differences in nacre weight or thickness. In contrast, recipient oyster shell height and total weight were increasingly positively correlated with these pearl size parameters over the culture period, becoming significant at 8 months post‐grafting. Potential therefore exists to use shell height and oyster weight as phenotypic indicators for selective breeding of recipient oysters with high growth performance to increase pearl size in P. margaritifera.     

Two epizootic Perkinsus spp. events in commercial oyster farms at Santa Catarina,Brazil

Perkinsus spp. have been detected in various bivalve species from north‐east Brazil. Santa Catarina is a South Brasil state with the highest national oyster production. Considering the pathogenicity of some Perkinsus spp., a study was carried out to survey perkinsosis in two oyster species cultured in this State, the mangrove oyster Crassostrea gasar and the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Sampling involved eight sites along the state coast, and oyster sampling was collected during the period between January 2013 and December 2014. For the detection of Perkinsus, Ray's fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) and histology were used, and for the identification of the species, PCR and DNA sequencing were used. Perkinsus spp. was found by RFTM in C. gigas and C. gasar from São Francisco do Sul. This pathology was also detected in C. gasar from Balneário Barra do Sul both, by RFTM and histology. Perkinsus marinus was identified in C. gigas and C. gasar from São Francisco do Sul and Perkinsus beihaiensis in C. gasar from Balneário Barra do Sul. This is the first report of P. marinus in C. gigas from South America. Results of this preliminary study suggest that both oyster species tolerate the species of Perkinsus identified, without suffering heavy lesions.     

Shell shape and meat condition in selectively bred Sydney rock oysters,Saccostrea glomerata (Gould, 1850): The influence of grow‐out methods

The Australian edible oyster industry has been severely impacted by disease and declining yields since the 1970s. Selective breeding of Saccostrea glomerata is one measure addressing these problems by producing fast‐growing, disease‐resistant oysters. Farmers report that selected oysters have different growth characteristics than their wild counterparts using conventional grow‐out methods. This study investigated how different grow‐out methods influence commercially valuable oyster characteristics including shell length, shape, surface growth deformities and meat condition. In June 2015, selectively bred S. glomerata spat were deployed in two estuaries (Hawkesbury River and Georges River) in NSW, Australia, using three grow‐out methods (fixed trays, Stanway cylinders and floating baskets). In November 2015, oysters were transferred among grow‐out methods to test for the effects of changing grow‐out methods on oyster growth patterns. Oysters transferred from baskets to cylinders and from trays to cylinders had, on average, deeper and wider shells, a higher meat condition and fewer shell surface deformities than oysters in other grow‐out method combinations. However, these oysters were smaller than oysters not grown in cylinders. While there were some differences in growth patterns between the estuaries, overall it was the grow‐out methods that most influenced oyster characteristics. This was attributed to differences in the amount and magnitude of movement oysters experienced in the grow‐out methods, as recorded by motion sensors. This study demonstrates how grow‐out methods can be managed to achieve desired growth trajectories and therefore improve marketability among selective bred S. glomerata.     

Insights on the association between somatic aneuploidy and ostreid herpesvirus 1 detection in the oysters Crassostrea gigas,C. angulata and their F1 hybrids

Cytogenetic abnormalities associated with viral infections, including from viruses of the Herpesvirales order, have been reported in vertebrate species. Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV‐1) has been detected worldwide during mortality outbreaks of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. On the other hand, a high proportion of aneuploid cells in somatic tissues have been observed in C. gigas. In this study, we analysed the putative association between aneuploidy levels and the detection of OsHV‐1 in gills of C. gigas, the Portuguese oyster C. angulata and their F1 hybrids cultured in Ria Formosa (Portugal). OsHV‐1 was detected by PCR in 5.4% of the total of oysters analysed (n = 111) namely in 11.1%, 8.0% and 1.7% of C. gigas, C. angulata and F1 hybrid respectively. Sequencing analysis of a viral fragment amplified with the C2/C6 primer pair revealed a high similarity with the OsHV‐1 reference type. Moreover, in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of OsHV‐1 in gill tissue. Oysters where OsHV‐1 was detected had a significantly higher mean percentage of aneuploid cells (25%) than the ones where the virus was not detected (18%). However, the overall low percentage of positive samples contrasted with the high mean percentage of aneuploidy observed, with 50% of the oysters analysed showing a percentage of aneuploid cells between 20% and 30%. We hypothesize that somatic aneuploidy may adversely affect oysters making them more prone to OsHV‐1 infection, but the virus is unlikely to be the cause of somatic aneuploidy.     

Genetic parameters of growth and survival in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas is a representative bivalve mollusc that is widely cultured in the world and is the largest molluscan group cultured in China. In order to assess the feasibility of improving survival of C. gigas through genetic selection, the heritability and genetic correlations for growth and survival traits between different life stages were examined. Genetic parameters were estimated based on intraclass correlations of 49 full‐sib families (29 half‐sib families) in larvae (4 and 20 days after fertilization) and spat (140 days after fertilization) stages. The heritability for growth traits in larvae and spat was 0.30–0.86 and 0.53–0.59, respectively, and varied with ages. The heritability of survival was low in larvae (0.13 ± 0.05 and 0.17 ± 0.04, respectively for 4 and 20 days after fertilization) but medium (0.39 ± 0.07) in spat, suggesting that selection for increasing spat survival was feasible. The genetic correlation between growth traits within age was medium to high and positive (ranging from 0.47 to 0.96, respectively, between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH) at 20 days and between SL and SH at 140 days after fertilization), suggesting that selection to improve single growth trait will cause positive response in another growth traits in C. gigas. The genetic correlations between survival and growth traits at 140 days were low but positive (ranging from 0.23 to 0.27, respectively, between survival and SH and between survival and SL at 140 days after fertilization), suggesting that selection for survival may not have a negative response in growth. Overall, this study suggests that survival traits should be taken as improving target of next selection breeding programme in C. gigas.     

Monthly variation of condition index,energy reserves and antibacterial activity in Pacific oysters,Crassostrea gigas,in Stansbury (South Australia)

This paper investigates the temporal responses of 2-year old Crassostrea gigas to environmental changes in Stansbury, South Australia from September 2005 to October 2006. A total of 360 oysters were grown in one-line baskets on the farm using six replicates that were sampled monthly. A range of environmental parameters were assessed and correlated against biological indicators for oyster condition, metabolism and antimicrobial activity. Food availability by chlorophyll a, was low throughout the study period (0.5–1.5 µg L^? 1) and was significantly correlated to phosphorus concentrations. The condition index and shell weight of oysters significantly increased over the year, with the condition index dropping after spawning but then recovering within one month. Significant temporal variation in energy storage and utilization were observed in different tissues over the year. Glycogen in the mantle tissue was influenced by reproduction and correlated to chlorophyll a levels, but not in the gill or adductor muscle. The mantle glycogen and gill protein reached the lowest level in February when spawning occurred and presented evidence for seasonal variation in oyster metabolic activity. However, mantle and adductor muscle proteins did not drop after spawning indicating that these proteins contribute little to gametogenesis. Hemolymph protein was negatively correlated to water temperature and chlorophyll a, reaching the lowest level during summer. Hemolymph antibacterial activity significantly decreased after spawning, implying that the period of post-spawning is critical for oyster health. This study revealed trade-offs in the energy budget between immune resistance, growth, and reproduction. The results indicate that in a lean water environment, spawning events significantly regulate metabolic and immune capacities of oysters and a second year of rearing increased meat and shell weight but not the shell length. These findings are applicable to the management and development of oyster aquaculture within temperate southern hemisphere.     

Siltation increases the susceptibility of surface‐cultured eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) to parasitism by the mudworm Polydora websteri

Mudworm (Polydora websteri) parasitism is known to result in unsightly mud blisters in eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), resulting in reduced product quality and increased vulnerability to illness and environmental stress. While typically a concern only for bottom‐grown oysters, an abnormal severe outbreak of P. websteri in surface‐cultured oysters in New Brunswick, Canada, was reported in 2013, along with an anecdotally reported concurrent increase in siltation. Although heavier loads of silt are reported to increase P. websteri infestations in oysters, studies report mixed effects of siltation to this regard. Here, we report the results of a field experiment testing the effect of siltation on P. websteri recruitment in surface‐grown oysters at an aquaculture site in Richibucto, New Brunswick. Live oysters of similar size were deployed at the aquaculture site and were left to collect P. websteri recruits under one of two siltation treatments (high vs. low) for 50 days. Results suggested that P. websteri recruitment correlated with metrics of oyster size (shell weight, length, width, depth and surface area). When P. websteri counts were standardized for oyster shell morphometry, P. websteri recruitment was significantly higher in oysters exposed to the high siltation treatment, accumulating approximately 1.5× as many P. websteri as oysters exposed to the low siltation treatment. Our results suggest that higher amounts of siltation on surface‐cultured oysters can result in increased rates of P. websteri parasitism. Enhanced cleaning regimes may help to alleviate the impacts of P. websteri in surface‐grown oysters, although other mitigation strategies exist.     

Different responses between orange variant and cultured population of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas at early life stage to temperature‐salinity combinations

Although breeding of rare shell colour variants has drawn widespread attention from shellfish breeders, the potential disadvantages of their adaptive capacity have been ignored in practice. To explore the difference in adaptive capacity between orange shell variant (OSO) and commercially cultured population (CPO) of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas at early life stage, the development to D‐larvae and larval survival and growth (just 23 and 30°C for larval experiment) of them were compared under different temperature (16, 23 and 30°C) and salinity (17, 25 and 33 psu) combinations. In this study, at 23°C and 25 psu, for both OSO and CPO there was no difference in fertilization rates and survival (p > .05) (mean percentages of D‐larvae after fertilized 40 hr ≥ 95.00%; mean larval survival rates on day 10 > 80.00%). However, the percentage of D‐larvae of CPO at 40 hr was significantly (p < .05) higher than OSO at temperatures of 16 and 30°C and 25–33 psu and 17 psu at 23°C. Similarly, CPO has a better larval survival on day 10 and growth than OSO at salinities of 17 and 33 psu at 23°C. Overall, our results indicate that OSO can have an equally good performance like CPO at early life stage under optimal condition (23°C; 25 psu), but the potential disadvantages in adaptive capacity will be shown at suboptimal conditions. These findings can guide future hatchery breeding of OSO, and suggest the potential disadvantages in adaptive capacity in rare colour variants need more attention in further breeding.     

Review of molluscan bivalve condition index calculations and application in Northern Quahogs Mercenaria mercenaria

Condition index (CI) is a widely used parameter in ecological and physiological studies. For molluscan bivalves, no universal consensus exists for CI calculation. A literature review revealed that a total of 19 methods have been used for CI calculation in molluscan bivalves. To evaluate the CI calculation in northern quahogs Mercenaria mercenaria (also called hard clams), market‐sized clams at 12–14 months old (n = 300 from three populations) were collected for gravimetrical and volumetric measurements. Significant correlations were identified among body sizes (body length, height and width), body weights (total weight, wet meat weight, dry meat weight, wet shell weight, dry shell weight) and body volume (p < .0001, R values ≥ .800). Referencing previously used CI equations for molluscan bivalves, a total of 18 equations were evaluated the suitability, considering non‐lethal measurements, for northern quahogs through correlation analysis of the CIs from different equations. With equations constructed as the percentages of dry or wet meat weight out of total weight, dry shell weight, dry shell plus meat weight, body volume, body length*height*width, shell length or cubic of shell length, CIs were significantly correlated, meaning that these equations were exchangeable. Specifically, three equations with non‐lethal measurements (percentages of total body weight out of total body volume, body length*height*width or cubic of body length) were evaluated effective. Overall, this publication provided a review for CI calculations in molluscan bivalves and evaluated the CI equations for northern quahogs.     

The effect of intertidal exposure on the growth and survival of hatchery-reared Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) kept in trays during their first ongrowing season

In a number of trials during 1971 and 1972 small populations of hatchery-reared Pacific oyster spat (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) 0.07–4.1 g mean live weight, were grown intertidally in trays to measure the effect of exposure to air on growth and survival. In the Menai Straits, N. Wales, and at Paglesham Pool, R. Roach, Essex, several stations were selected above low water of spring tides (LWST) to cover the range of 0–30% exposure to air. Live weight, dry meat weight and dry shell weight were reduced with increased exposure to air, but the ratio of dry meat weight to dry shell weight (shell condition index), the gross biochemical composition, and survival were not affected. By extrapolation the point of no growth was found to be at 36 and 47% exposure to air at the sites in the Menai Straits and R. Roach, respectively.     

壳白长牡蛎品系生长和壳色性状遗传参数估计

以经过连续4代家系选育获得的壳白长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)选育系为亲本,通过巢氏平衡设计建立了30个全同胞家系混合养殖,采用微卫星多重PCR技术进行家系鉴定,基于REML法估算24月龄壳白长牡蛎的生长性状和壳色性状的遗传参数。结果表明,壳白长牡蛎品系壳高、壳长、总重、壳重、L~*(明度)、a~*(红绿轴色品指数)和b~*(黄蓝轴色品指数)的遗传力为中高等水平,依次为0.35±0.13、0.18±0.09、0.20±0.09、0.16±0.08、0.16±0.08、0.27±0.11和0.19±0.08,壳宽、肉重、出肉率、壳型指数A和壳型指数B的遗传力为低等水平,依次是0.07±0.02、0.11±0.06、0.02±0.03、0.08±0.06和0.11±0.06。壳高、壳长、壳宽、总重、壳重和肉重之间的遗传相关和表型相关均为正相关,其中,壳高、壳宽和总重与其他生长性状的相关性较高,分别为0.40±0.65~0.90±0.14、0.39±0.55~0.97±0.24和0.50±0.66~0.99±0.02。壳型指数A和壳型指数B与壳高均为较高的负相关,分别为–0.94±0.16和–0.77±0.19,表明仅以壳高性状为选育目标时,可能不会对长牡蛎壳型改良产生作用。壳白长牡蛎壳色参数与生长性状之间的遗传相关范围为–0.09±0.42~0.91±0.74,不同性状间的遗传相关差异很大,其中L~*与生长参数遗传相关较高,为0.49±0.29~0.91±0.74,表明以壳高、壳长、总重和L~*任一个为选育目标时,其他生长性状都可以获得提高。壳色参数间L~*与a~*负的相关性最高,为–0.96±0.04,L~*与b~*和a~*与b~*相关性较低,分别为–0.08±0.36和0.21±0.31,表明以L~*为选育目标时,可间接降低a~*值。本研究为合理制定壳白长牡蛎新品系育种方案和选择反应预测提供了参考依据。     

长牡蛎第三代选育群体生长性状的选择效应

为了培育长牡蛎的高产抗逆新品种,实验采用群体选育方法构建了中国、日本和韩国3个种群的快速生长选育系,2007年至今已连续进行了6代选育。本实验对长 牡蛎选育F₃代壳高和活体体质量的增长、选择反应和遗传获得等遗传参数进行了分析。结果表明,从第120日龄开始,中国、日本和韩国3个选育群体的壳高和 活体体质量均显著高于对照组,在420日龄时,平均壳高较对照组分别高13.4%、10.1%和10.5%,平均活体体质量较对照组分别重18.5%、13.4%和11.6%;壳高的平均现实遗传力分别为0.447±0.226、0.471±0.297和0.367±0.167,表明适于对壳高的生长速度进行进一步的选育。长牡蛎中国、日本和韩国选育F3代活体 体质量的遗传获得平均值分别为16.01%±3.82%、15.03%±5.21%和11.57%±5.15%,表明对长牡蛎壳高的生长速度进行选育时,活体体质量的生长速度也得到了明显提高。本研究结果可以为长牡蛎快速生长品系的连续选育提供依据。     

长牡蛎生长性状遗传力、遗传相关和表型相关分析

为了查清乳山(RS)和崆峒岛(KTD)海域长牡蛎生长性状各指标的遗传力、遗传相关和表型相关,本实验通过部分因子交配设计和人工授精的方法建立家系,并在乳山和崆峒岛海域进行养殖。用混合线性模型分别计算RS和KTD海域188日龄、338日龄和474日龄长牡蛎生长性状各指标的遗传参数。结果发现:不同日龄长牡蛎生长性状各指标,在乳山海域的遗传力是0.28~0.55,为中高遗传力,在崆峒岛海域的遗传力是0.34~0.63,为高遗传力;与乳山海域相比,崆峒岛海域各指标的遗传力偏高。运用亲本模型,将日龄和地点作为固定效应,计算得到壳高、壳长、壳宽和湿重的遗传力分别为0.25±0.08、0.29±0.09、0.14±0.05和0.26±0.09。不同海域、不同日龄的遗传相关和表型相关结果各不相同,但各指标间均呈现正相关;总体来讲,性状间的遗传相关大于表型相关。实验结果有助于掌握山东半岛南北两侧长牡蛎生长性状的数量遗传学参数,为制定长牡蛎在该海域的选育技术路线提供数据支持。     

Suspended culture of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus below a Pacific oyster raft – potential for integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture

To discuss the possibility of co‐culturing Pacific oyster with the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, a field experiment was conducted in an oyster farm. Apostichopus japonicus juveniles (mean wet weight, 0.08 g) were cultured below an oyster raft and at a control station for 216 days, and the wet weight and stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) were analysed together with settling organic matter (OM) collected using sediment traps. All sea cucumbers cultured below the raft survived (survival rate, 100%), while at the control station one individual disappeared (96%). During 216 days, the juveniles at the oyster and control stations grew to a mean weight of 5.5 and 2.6 g, attaining respective specific growth rates of 2.0% and 1.6% (paired t‐test, P < 0.001). Settlement rates of carbon and nitrogen at the oyster station were ~5 times larger than those at the control station. The stable isotope analysis showed that settling OM at both stations originated from coastal phytoplankton and that phytoplankton represented the primary food source for A. japonicus. The rapid growth of A. japonicus at the oyster station was concluded to be due to the abundant supply of oyster biodeposits, which could be ingested by this species.     

长牡蛎出肉率与壳形性状的 QTL 定位分析

本研究以长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)F1全同胞家系为作图群体,在已构建的基于120个微卫星和66个SNP标记的长牡蛎性别平均连锁图谱上,利用PROC QTL 2.0软件对出肉率和壳形(壳宽和壳深)性状进行QTL定位分析。结果表明,共检测到13个相关的QTL,分布在3个连锁群上;其中,与出肉率相关的4个QTL定位在1号和3号连锁群上(LG1和LG3),表型解释率为0.25%~47.53%;与壳宽相关的3个QTL定位在10号连锁群上(LG10),表型解释率为0.71%~45.39%;与壳深相关的6个QTL也定位在LG10,表型解释率为3.37%~24.78%。根据QTL连锁群分析和性状相关性分析结果可以推测,出肉率与糖原含量性状以及壳宽与壳深性状分别具有相近的遗传特征,利用与相关性状共同关联的分子标记可以同时对出肉率与糖原含量性状、壳宽与壳深性状进行遗传改良。本研究结果为今后长牡蛎相关性状候选基因克隆和分子标记辅助育种提供了参考。     

壳白长牡蛎基因型与环境互作(G×E)效应分析

为探索壳白长牡蛎品系的壳色性状和生长性状的基因型与环境互作(G×E)效应,利用巢氏设计构建全同胞家系,每个家系分成两组分别在乳山和荣成海域进行养殖。利用线性混合模型和REML法分析11月龄壳白长牡蛎生长性状和壳色性状的遗传力及G×E效应。采用最佳线性无偏预测法(BLUP法)估计壳高和L~*两个性状的育种值,并通过加权获得综合育种值来筛选优良家系。结果显示,乳山组和荣成组的壳白长牡蛎生长和壳色性状的遗传力不同,分别为(0.14±0.08)～(0.62±0.18)和(0.01±0.03)～(0.78±0.19),可能存在尺度效应。以不同环境为固定效应,综合两个环境计算出的生长和壳色性状的遗传力为(0.02±0.02)～(0.51±0.09),然而由于部分全同胞家系缺失和模型不收敛的原因,估计模型中未包括母本/共同环境效应和显性效应,上述遗传力估计值偏高。本研究中生长和壳色性状在两个环境间的遗传相关为(–0.47±0.40)～(0.75±0.18),均小于0.8,表明壳白长牡蛎品系的生长和壳色性状都具有明显的重排效应,壳白长牡蛎品系其选育需要针对不同的养殖环境培育不同适应性的选育家系。综合育种值排名前20的个体其家系来源比例表明,家系G1和G21对于乳山海域表现出特殊的适应性,而家系G4、G22和G5对荣成海域环境具有特适性,家系G2则对两个环境具有普适性。研究为壳白长牡蛎品系的良种选育提供了重要的参考依据。     

Growth performance and biochemical composition of the oysters Crassostrea sikamea,Crassostrea angulata and their hybrids in southern China

The Kumamoto oyster (Crassostrea sikamea) and the Portuguese oyster (C. angulata) are important aquaculture species which naturally coexist along the southern coast of China. To understand the potential feasibility of hybridization between the two species, we conducted two‐by‐two factorial cross‐experiments in Beihai (Guangxi province), and also compared the survival and growth of the hybrids to that of the two parental progenies during the grow‐out period from July 2014 to July 2015. Genetic analysis confirmed that the hybrid spats were true hybrids. Additionally, the biochemical composition of the 1‐year‐old oyster progenies was determined. In July 2015, the mean shell height of the hybrids was 42.98 ± 6.29 mm, which was higher than that of the Kumamoto oyster progeny. The cumulative survival rate of the hybrids was 26.37 ± 1.32%, which was higher than that of the progeny of the Portuguese oyster. Mean lipid content of the hybrids was 13.65 ± 1.63% of dry weight, which showed obvious heterosis compared to those of the two parental progenies. Observation of gonads revealed that all hybrids were completely fertile. Furthermore, relative expression of the lipid homeostasis genes, SREBP (sterol regulatory element‐binding proteins), PPARα (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor) and INSIG (insulin‐induced gene) were found to vary between parental progenies and the hybrids, thus providing a possible reason for difference in the lipid contents of these experimental groups. Overall, the hybrids were viable, rich in lipid and completely fertile and thus could serve as a promising aquaculture stock for oyster breeding in southern China.     

Microbial communities associated with early stages of intensively reared orange‐spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

The gut microbiota plays key roles in the health and general welfare of fish larvae, the present study characterized the bacterial communities associated with grouper Epinephelus coioides larvae during a period of 22 days post hatch (DPH) in an intensive hatchery using both cultivation‐based and cultivation‐independent approaches. Both approaches confirmed that bacteria were present in the gut of larvae before and after the onset of exogenous feeding, and the number of cultiviable bacteria increased gradually from 2 DPH to 22 DPH. A more complex bacterial profile was present in larvae fed fertilizer oyster eggs for 4 days (8 DPH), probably as a result of the onset of exogenous feeding. Interestingly, similar internal microbiota were observed in larvae fed fertilized oyster eggs for 4 days (8 DPH) and rotifers for 2 weeks (22 DPH), although different microbial communities were present in the two feeds. This might suggest that the gut environment of E. coioides larvae selects for a common microbiota, which is more closely related with the rearing water than the two feeds. Therefore, bacterial community of the rearing water may play a critical role in the establishment of gut microbiota of fish larvae and more attention should be paid to its practical modulation by using probiotics. In addition, some potentially beneficial bacteria, such as Lactococcus spp., were the major components of the microbiota associated with fertilized oyster eggs, while these bacteria were not detected in larvae samples.     

Efficacy of Netminder® silicone release coating for biofouling reduction in bay scallop grow‐out and comparative effects on scallop survival,growth and reproduction

Netminder^®, a water‐based silicone barrier release coating, was highly effective in reducing biofouling of lantern nets during grow‐out/overwintering of bay scallops, Argopecten irradians irradians, in a large‐scale restoration programme in New York, USA. Compared with untreated nets, scallops held in Netminder^®‐coated nets experienced reduced survival after 8 months, probably due to higher loads of epibionts on their shells. However, this was countered by higher reproductive and overall condition of scallops in treated vs. untreated nets; there were no consistent differences in shell growth in different net treatments. Although further testing is recommended under a wider range of conditions, we conclude that for the purposes of our scallop restoration work, coating nets with Netminder^® would eliminate the need for a gear change in spring, thus reducing labour costs; the coating process should be refined so that Velcro closures of nets do not become sealed shut.     

Genetic parameters of growth and resistance to Polydora ciliata in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata

The pearl oyster Pinctada fucata is an economically important oyster cultured for pearl production in China. In this study, we used an animal model to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters of growth traits and a sire‐dam threshold model to estimate the resistance of P. fucata to polychaete Polydora ciliata. The results showed that the heritability estimates were 0.3850 ± 0.1421 for shell width, 0.3478 ± 0.1292 for body weight and 0.3387 ± 0.1316 for resistance to P. ciliata, and significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). Both phenotypic and genetic correlations were high between shell width and body weight (0.935 and 0.883 respectively) (P < 0.01), but low between resistance and shell width (0.260 and 0.233 respectively)/body weight (0.152 and 0.083 respectively) (r < 0.30; P > 0.05). The higher heritabilities for shell width, body weight and resistance traits suggested that the three traits can be genetically improved through selective breeding, but the low correlation between growth and resistance traits suggested that the resistance trait can be effectively improved through index selection or through hybridization of two specialized lines, i.e. a high‐resistant line and a high growth line.