INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE TRANSMISSION OF PARASITES OF THE BAY SCALLOP,ARGOPECTEN-IRRADIANS (LAMARCK, 1819), DURING QUARANTINE INTRODUCTION TO CANADIAN WATERS
Se. Mcgladdery et al., INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE TRANSMISSION OF PARASITES OF THE BAY SCALLOP,ARGOPECTEN-IRRADIANS (LAMARCK, 1819), DURING QUARANTINE INTRODUCTION TO CANADIAN WATERS, Journal of shellfish research, 12(1), 1993, pp. 49-58
The potential impact of bay scallop Argopecten irradians (Lamarck) par
asites on commercially important bivalve species in Canadian Atlantic
waters was assessed using two transmission experiments. The first was
a parallel flow-through system passing water from the bay scallops ove
r-five species of native bivalves. The second was a synchronous spawni
ng of infected bay scallops and uninfected blue mussels Mytilus edulis
, to determine if larval bivalves are more susceptible to parasite tra
nsmission than adults. Zoospores of Perkinsus karlssoni were observed
adhering to D-stage larvae of bay scallops approximately 48 hours post
-spawning, suggesting this to be the method of transmission. Surface s
terilization of fertilized bay scallop ova with 1% iodophor for 15 min
utes failed to destroy the zoospores. No evidence of transmission of b
ay scallop parasites to adults of other species was found during the t
en month experimental period. Results of the second experiment are inc
onclusive. No P. karlssoni zoospores were seen among the larvae, and n
o tissue-stages have been detected subsequently in the exposed mussels
.