Infestation by excavating sponges on the oyster (Ostrea edulis) populations of the Blanes littoral zone (north-western Mediterranean Sea)

In order to estimate the degree of implantation of excavating sponges in the oyster populations from the littoral zone at Blanes (north-western Mediterranean Sea), a representative sample of oysters (Ostrea edulis) was collected from depths between 0.5 and 4 m in 1986. All oysters were infested by t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1999-06, Vol.79 (3), p.409-413
Main Authors: Rosell, Dolors, Uriz, Maria-Jesús, Martin, Daniel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal aquaculture
Animal productions
Biological and medical sciences
Cliona celata
Cliona viridis
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrate aquaculture
Marine
Mollusca
Ostrea edulis
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Summary:In order to estimate the degree of implantation of excavating sponges in the oyster populations from the littoral zone at Blanes (north-western Mediterranean Sea), a representative sample of oysters (Ostrea edulis) was collected from depths between 0.5 and 4 m in 1986. All oysters were infested by the excavating sponges Cliona viridis and Cliona celata. Infestation affected always and exclusively the lower valve always reaching the inner side. The degree of infestation proved to be independent of oyster size and weight. Colonization by contact was considered the main means of dispersion of these sponges within the oyster population. Cliona viridis and C. celata emerged as the single excavating species able to effectively compete with other non-excavating or excavating organisms when trying to colonize the particular calcareous substrate provided by oyster shells in the north-western Mediterranean Sea.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315498000526