J. Caceresmartinez et al., THE TURBELLARIAN URASTOMA-CYPRINAE FROM EDIBLE MUSSELS MYTILUS-GALLOPROVINCIALIS AND MYTILUS-CALIFORNIANUS IN BAJA-CALIFORNIA, NW MEXICO, Journal of invertebrate pathology (Print), 72(3), 1998, pp. 214-219
The turbellarian Urastoma cyprinae (Graff, 1913) was found in the mant
le cavity of Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck and Mytilus californian
us Conrad, on the Pacific coast of Baja California NW Mexico. This is
the first record of this turbellarian for bivalves from the Pacific co
ast of North America. In M. galloprovincialis from an exposed rocky sh
ore, prevalence ranged from 10 to 87% and mean number of turbellarians
per infested mussel was 1.9; in a culture area prevalence ranged from
57 to 100% and the mean number of turbellarians per infested mussel w
as 7.4. In the protected and polluted areas U. cyprinae was scarce or
absent, prevalence ranging from 0 to 15% and the mean number of turbel
larian per infested mussel being 0.07. The prevalence and the mean num
ber of turbellarians per M. californianus in the exposed rocky shore f
rom 20 to 100% and 5.1, respectively. There were more worms in the lar
ger mussels. Demibranches of M. galloprovincialis and M. californianus
may be injured by the presence of turbellarians. An infiltration of h
emocyte cells around the turbellarians was observed in both species an
d the blood sinuses in the infected area were engorged. Recorded damag
e was not related to a negative effect on the condition index of musse
ls. (C) 1998 Academic Press.