Observations on the Fertility of the Oyster (Ostrea Edulis)

Extract

The production of larvae by Ostrea edulis L. was studied in collections made from brooding females obtained from oyster grounds on the east, south and south-west coasts of England and from the Menai Straits. The size of the brood was directly related to the size of the oyster, but considerable variation was found from oysters of the same size whether measured as diameter, volume between the shells or dry meat weight. Part of the scatter was due to variation in condition of the oyster at spawning; oysters in good condition at the time of spawning produced more eggs than those in poor condition. This cause of variation was also seen in different populations; those with a high average condition index had a higher average fertility than those in poor condition, although the correlation was not quite significant at the P = 0.05 level (r = 0.632). It is presumed that most of the remaining variation is of genetic origin.

Fertility was related to size rather than age, although it is suggested that in some old slow-growing oysters it may be reduced. No decline in fertility was found as the breeding season progressed, nor was there clear evidence that larvae are liberated at a smaller size late in the season.

A comparison of the average size of broods at an early stage of development with those that were nearly mature showed that there was no loss of larvae during brooding. Samples of shelled larvae from 204 broods were measured; less than 10 % exceeded 190 µ size.