First Report of the Protozoan Perkinsus cf. marinus in the Mangrove Oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae (Guilding)

TitreFirst Report of the Protozoan Perkinsus cf. marinus in the Mangrove Oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae (Guilding)
Type de publicationJournal Article
Year of Publication2000
AuteursLittlewood, DTJ
JournalCaribbean Journal of Science
Volume36
Ticket1-2
Start Page000
Résumé

The West Indian mangrove oyster, Crassostrea rhizophorae (Guilding), grows rapidly (up to 0.5zmm-1 per day, Forbes 1973) but dies sooner than other Crassostrea species. In Jamaica, fewer than 20 percent of cultivated oysters survive through a typical 4-6 month growing season and still fewer reach their marketable shell size of 60-70mm (Littlewood 1994a). Mortality due to predation by turbellarians, fish, and gastropods accounts for less than half of the observed mortality (Littlewood, 1991, 1994a). A histological survey extending over 18 months failed to reveal an abundance of any particular parasite or disease (Jamaica: pers. observ., Brazil: Nascimento et al. 1986). In a further attempt to find the causative agent for the remaining unexplained mortality, the fluid thioglycollate (FTM) method of Ray (1966) was used to detect qualitatively and quantitatively the protozoan Perkinsus marinus (Mackin, Owen and Collier). This paper is the first report of this parasite in Crassostrea rhizophorae.