Bl. Bayne et al., Feeding behaviour and metabolic efficiency contribute to growth heterosis in Pacific oysters [Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg)], J EXP MAR B, 233(1), 1999, pp. 115-130
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Aquatic Sciences
Journal title
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MARINE BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY
Physiological measurements were made on Pacific oysters from controlled cro
sses between inbred lines. Hybrid individuals were expected to perform bett
er than inbred oysters, for a variety of traits related to feeding behaviou
r. The oysters were offered a diet simulating natural suspended particulate
matter. By quantifying the organic and inorganic fractions of food, faeces
and pseudofaeces, various aspects of feeding were elucidated. The results
agreed with expectation; on average, hybrid oysters had higher rates and ef
ficiencies of feeding and growth than inbreds. In one experiment there were
significant differences between hybrids and inbreds for seventeen out of t
wenty cases; in another experiment hybrids performed better than inbreds fo
r eight out of sixteen cases. In both experiments, we find significant diff
erences between the reciprocal hybrids, though heterosis for growth is evid
ent for all hybrids. Our experiments therefore confirmed heterosis for grow
th and hybrid superiority for physiological traits, independent of ration l
evel; emphasised the complexity of these relationships amongst genotypes; a
nd demonstrated the segregation of physiological traits in the F-2 generati
on. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.