Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T09:23:50.414Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Size at first maturity of Brachidontes rodriguezii (d'Orbigny, 1846) from the South-western Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2016

María Eugenia Torroglosa
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biodiversidad, Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), CONICET-UBA, Argentina
Juliana Giménez*
Affiliation:
Instituto de Biodiversidad, Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA), CONICET-UBA, Argentina Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, FCEN UBA, Argentina
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: J. Giménez IBBEA, CONICET-UBA, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, FCEN UBA, Argentina email: [email protected]

Abstract

The size at first maturity of the bivalve Brachidontes rodriguezii was estimated in a population located in the northernmost limit of its distribution along Argentinean coast. Specimens were collected in two consecutive reproductive seasons from December 2011 to February 2012 and from December 2012 to February 2013. Individuals were evaluated using biometric and histological analyses of the gonads. This study intended to provide important information about the development of gonadal tissue according to shell length increase. Our results showed immature specimens lack gonads or exhibited groups of cells undergoing mitosis adjacent to the epithelium of the mantle and the tubules of the digestive gland. Male and female gonad development extended to mantle lobes and visceral mass as long as maturation occurred to reach sexual maturity. Using a logistic model our results showed that the size at which 50% of females were mature at a gonadal level was 7.05 mm in shell length; in males, 50% of the population were mature at 8.13 mm in shell length. The minimum shell length at which maturity was observed was 6.99 mm in shell length in females and 6.00 mm in shell length for males.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Adami, M., Pastorino, G. and Orenzans, J.M. (2013) Phenotypic differentiation of ecologically significant Brachidontes species co-occurring in intertidal mussel beds from the southwestern Atlantic. Malacologia 56, 5968.Google Scholar
Adami, M.L., Tablado, A. and López Gappa, J.J. (2004) Spatial and temporal variability in intertidal assemblages dominated by the mussel Brachidontes rodriguezii (d'Orbigny, 1846). Hydrobiologia 520, 4959.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Adami, M.L., Tablado, A. and Sodor, M.A. (2008) Population dynamics of the intertidal mytilid Brachidontes rodriguezii (Bivalvia) on a rocky shore. Thalassas 24, 2127.Google Scholar
Allen, F. (1962) Gonad development and spawning of Brachidontes recurvus in Chesapeake Bay. The Nautilus 75, 149156.Google Scholar
Arribas, L.P., Bagur, M., Klein, E., Penchaszadeh, P.E. and Palomo, M.G. (2013) Geographic distribution of two mussel species and associated assemblages along the northern Argentinean coast. Aquatic Biology 18, 91103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arribas, L.P., Donnarumma, L., Palomo, M.G. and Scrosati, R.A. (2014) Intertidal mussels as ecosystem engineers: their associated invertebrate biodiversity under contrasting wave exposures. Marine Biodiversity 44, 203211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, B.J., Fajans, J.S., Baker, S.M. and Baker, P. (2005) Gametogenesis in the non-native green mussel, Perna viridis, and the native scorched mussel, Brachidontes exustus, in Tampa bay, Florida. Journal of Shellfish Research 24, 10871095.Google Scholar
Borthagaray, A.I. and Carranza, A. (2007) Mussels as ecosystem engineers: their contribution to species richness in a rocky littoral community. Acta Oecologica 31, 243250.Google Scholar
Bulleri, F. and Chapman, M.G. (2010) The introduction of coastal infrastructure as a driver of change in marine environments. Journal of Applied Ecology 47, 2635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Calcagno, J.A., Curelovich, J.N., Fernández, V.M., Thatje, S. and Lovrich, G.A. (2012) Effects of physical disturbance on a sub-Antarctic middle intertidal bivalve assemblage. Marine Biology Research 8, 937953.Google Scholar
Camacho-Mondragón, M.A., Arellano-Martínez, M. and Ceballos-Vázquez, B.P. (2012) Particular features of gonadal maturation and size at first maturity in Atrina maura (Bivalvia: Pinnidae). Scientia Marina 76, 539548.Google Scholar
Carranza, A., Defeo, O., Beck, M. and Castilla, J.C. (2009) Linking fisheries management and conservation in bioengineering species: the case of South American mussels (Mytilidae). Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 19, 349366.Google Scholar
Chung, E.Y. (2007) Oogenesis and sexual maturation in Meretrix lusoria (Röding 1798) (Bivalvia: Veneridae) in western Korea. Journal of Shellfish Research 26, 7180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chung, E.Y. (2008) Ultrastructural studies of oogenesis and sexual maturation in female Chlamys (azumapecten) farreri farreri (Jones and Preston, 1904) (Pteriomorphia: Pectinidae) on the western coast of Korea. Malacologia 50, 279292.Google Scholar
Delgado, E. and Defeo, O. (2007) Tisular and population level responses to habitat harshness in sandy beaches: the reproductive strategy of Donax hanleyanus. Marine Biology, 152, 919927.Google Scholar
Fearman, J.A. and Moltschaniwskyj, N.A. (2010) Warmer temperatures reduce rates of gametogenesis in temperate mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis. Aquaculture 305, 2025.Google Scholar
Franz, D.R. (1996) Size and age at first reproduction of the ribbed mussel Geukensia demissa (Dillwyn) in relation to shore level in a New York salt marsh. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 205, 113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gage, M.J. (1995) Continuous variation in reproductive strategy as an adaptive response to population density in the moth Plodia interpunctella. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London 261, 2530.Google Scholar
Giese, A.C. and Pearse, J.S. (1974) Introduction: general principles. In Giese, A.C. and Pearse, J.S. (eds) Reproduction of marine invertebrates, Vol. 1. New York, NY: Academic Press, 149.Google Scholar
Giménez, J. and Penchaszadeh, P.E. (2003) Size at first sexual maturity in Zidona dufresnei (Caenogastropoda: Volutidae) of the south-western Atlantic Ocean (Mar del Plata, Argentina). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 83, 293296.Google Scholar
Gutiérrez, J.L., Palomo, M.G., Bagur, M., Arribas, L.P., and Soria, S.A. (2015) Wave action limits crowding in an intertidal mussel. Marine Ecology Progress Series 518, 153163.Google Scholar
Howard, D.W., Lewis, E.J., Keller, B.J. and Smith, C.S. (2004) Histological techniques for marine bivalve mollusks and crustaceans. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS NCCOS 5, 218.Google Scholar
Lubet, P., Gimázane, J.P. and Prunus, G. (1981) Etude du cycle de reproduction de Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lmk) (Moll. Lamelibranche) à la limite meridionale de son aire de repartition. Comparison avec les autres secteurs de cette aire. Haliotis 11, 157170.Google Scholar
Mackie, G.L. (1991) Biology of the exotic zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in relation to native bivalves and its potential impact in Lake St. Clair. Hydrobiologia 219, 251268.Google Scholar
Martins, G.M., Jenkins, S.R., Neto, A.I., Hawkins, S.J. and Thompson, R.C. (2015) Long-term modifications of coastal defences enhance marine biodiversity. Environmental Conservation 43, 109116.Google Scholar
Nugent-Rincón, P.L. (1989) Ecología y biología de los mejillinares de Brachydontes rodriguezi (D'Orbigny, 1846), Lamy 1936, en el litoral bonaerense. PhD thesis. Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina.Google Scholar
Penchaszadeh, P.E. (1973) Ecología de la comunidad del mejillín (Brachydontes rodriguezi d'Orb.) en el mediolitoral rocoso de Mar del Plata (Argentina): el proceso de recolonización. Physis 32, 5164.Google Scholar
Petes, L.E., Menge, B.A. and Harris, A.L. (2008) Intertidal mussels exhibit energetic trade-offs between reproduction and stress resistance. Ecological Monographs 78, 387402.Google Scholar
Petes, L.E., Menge, B.A. and Murphy, G.D. (2007) Environmental stress decreases survival, growth, and reproduction in New Zealand mussels. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 351, 8391.Google Scholar
Roa, R., Ernst, B. and Tapia, F. (1999) Estimation of size at sexual maturity: an evaluation of analytical and resampling procedures. Fishery Bulletin 97, 570580.Google Scholar
Scelzo, M.A., Elías, R., Vallarino, E.A., Charrier, M., Lucero, N. and Alvarez, F. (1996) Variación estacional de la estructura comunitaria del bivalvo intermareal Brachidontes rodriguezii (D'Orbigny, 1846) en sustratos artificiales (Mar del Plata, Argentina). Neritica 10, 87102.Google Scholar
Stearns, S. (1992) The evolution of life histories. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Suárez, M.P., Alvarez, C., Molist, P. and San Juan, F. (2005) Particular aspects of gonadal cycle and seasonal distribution of gametogenic stages of Mytilus galloprovincialis cultured in the estuary of Vigo. Journal of Shellfish Research 26, 531540.Google Scholar
Todd, C.D. (1985) Reproductive strategies of north-temperate rocky shore invertebrates. In Moore, P.G. and Seed, R. (eds) The ecology of rocky coasts. London: Hodder and Stoughton, pp. 203219.Google Scholar
Torroglosa, M.E. (2015) Biología reproductiva y crecimiento de Brachidontes rodriguezii (d'Orbigny, 1846) en sustratos duros artificiales en playas arenosas de la provincia de Buenos Aires. PhD thesis. Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 143 pp.Google Scholar
Torroglosa, M.E. and Giménez, J. (2010) Temporal variation in size at maturity of the snail Zidona dufresnei from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean after ten years of fishery exploitation. Aquatic Biology 11, 163167.Google Scholar
Torroglosa, M.E. and Giménez, J. (2015) Sperm ultrastructure in two species of Brachidontes (Bivalvia, Mytilidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 95, 991998.Google Scholar
Vallarino, E.A., Rivero, M.S., Gravina, M.C. and Elías, R. (2002) The community-level response to sewage impact in intertidal mytilid beds of the Southwestern Atlantic and the use of the Shannon index to assess pollution. Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía 37, 2533.Google Scholar