Culture of glochidia of the freshwater pearl mussel Hyriopsis myersiana (Lea, 1856) in artificial media

The freshwater pearl mussel, Hyriopsis myersiana (Limnoscapha) (Lea, 1856) was cultured in two artificial media at 23 +/- 2 degreesC. Each artificial medium contained a mixture of M199, (Life Technologies, No. 71N0262) horse serum or fish (Oreochromis niloticus) artificial medium plasma as a protein source, and antibiotics/antimycotics at a ratio of 2.1:0.5. Glochidia were reared until they became juveniles, i.e. until the mantle and foot could b e observed under a light microscope. The duration of glochidia development until the juvenile stage was 9-10 days in both media. After 1 month of cont rolled feeding with phytoplankton, the juveniles showed an elongate of shel l with several growth lines. The more suitable artificial culture formula f or the transformation from glochidia to juvenile stage was the medium conta ining protein from fish plasma. Survival from glochidia to juvenile stage w as up to 85.3 +/- 3.9% in fish plasma, while it was equal to 46.2 +/- 12.7% in horse serum. The transformation from glochidia to juvenile stage was up to 84.3 +/- 2.3% in fish plasma, while it was equal to 44.3 +/- 8.9% in ho rse serum. Percentage survival and transformation from glochidia to juvenil e stage were significantly higher in fish plasma than in horse serum (P < 0 .01). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.