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Symbiotic Association Between Symbiodinium and the Gastropod Strombus gigas: Larval Acquisition of Symbionts

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Abstract

The importance of the dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. was studied in the early life stages of the gastropod Strombus gigas. This dinoflagellate was not found in the eggs or the gelatinous mass surrounding the eggs of the mollusk; therefore, Symbiodinium is not inherited directly. To determine whether the planktonic veligers can acquire these algae from the environment, they were exposed to freshly isolated Symbiodinium from adult S. gigas (homologous). The optimal stage for Symbiodinium inoculation was found at 48 h post-hatching. Survival and growth rates of veligers and juveniles were higher when inoculated with freshly isolated Symbiodinium in conjunction with daily feeding of Isochrysis spp. Veligers inoculated with Symbiodinium freshly isolated from three host species elicited distinct responses: (1) veligers did not take up Symbiodinium isolated from the hydrozoan Millepora alcicornis suggesting that there is discrimination on contact prior to ingestion, (2) veligers did take up Symbiodinium isolated from the anemone Bartholomea annulata, but the algae did not persist in the host tissue suggesting that selection against this type took place after ingestion or that the algae did not divide in the host, and (3) veligers did take up Symbiodinium isolated from Pterogorgia anceps where it persisted and was associated with metamorphosis of the larvae. In contrast, the Symbiodinium freshly isolated from S. gigas were not associated with metamorphosis and required an inducer such as the red alga Laurencia poitei. These data present a significant advancement for the establishment of a new approach in the aquaculture of this important but declining Caribbean species.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. We are indebted to D. Martínez Vázquez and A.C. Padilla-Souza from the Centro Regional de Investigación Pesquera (CRIP) in Puerto Morelos of the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca (INAPESCA) as well as the Fishing Cooperatives: “Langosteros de Banco Chinchorro,” “Cozumel,” and “María Elena” for the assistance with field collections. The Centro Regional de Investigaciones Pesqueras of the Instituto Nacional de Pesca in Puerto Morelos provided the facilities for the experiments. We thank R. K. Trench and M. Schutter for the comments to improve the manuscript.

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  1. Posgrado de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    Maribel García Ramos

  2. Unidad Académica de Sistemas Arrecifales (Puerto Morelos), Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 1152, Cancun, Quintana Roo, 77500, Mexico

    Maribel García Ramos & Anastazia T. Banaszak

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  1. Maribel García Ramos
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Correspondence to Anastazia T. Banaszak.

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García Ramos, M., Banaszak, A.T. Symbiotic Association Between Symbiodinium and the Gastropod Strombus gigas: Larval Acquisition of Symbionts. Mar Biotechnol 16, 193–201 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-013-9536-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-013-9536-x

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