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A non-lethal method for establishing sexual maturation in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819)) during broodstock conditioning in hatcheries

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Abstract

The concentration of the sex steroids 17β-estradiol, testosterone and progesterone was determined by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in the hemolymph of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and related to its sexual maturation. A non-lethal hemolymph sampling procedure was used in mussels matured in controlled conditions of a hatchery. To our knowledge, this is the first study on sexual steroid hormones of a bivalve species using the same specimens in consecutive samplings. Histological data showed that nearly 90 % of the mussels ripened during the experiment. Steroid analyses revealed that 17β-estradiol and testosterone were closely related to the onset of gamete development, while progesterone would have an important role at the end of gonadal maturity. This method can be used to assess sexual maturation in bivalves when conditioning in hatcheries, without killing them.

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Abbreviations

ELISA:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

CI:

Condition index

S1:

First sampling

S2:

Second sampling

AP:

Anteroposterior length

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Acknowledgments

This research was financed by the project “Viabilidad del cultivo de mejillón (Mytilus galloprovincialis) a partir de semilla producida en criadero” supported by the Junta de Andalucía (Andalucía, Spain). M. Herrera postdoc contract was supported by INIA-FSE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IFAPA Agua del Pino, Punta Umbría-Cartaya rd., 21459, Huelva, Spain

    Inés Martínez-Pita, Clara Sánchez-Lazo & Marcelino Herrera

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  1. Inés Martínez-Pita
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  2. Clara Sánchez-Lazo
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  3. Marcelino Herrera
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Correspondence to Inés Martínez-Pita.

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Martínez-Pita, I., Sánchez-Lazo, C. & Herrera, M. A non-lethal method for establishing sexual maturation in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819)) during broodstock conditioning in hatcheries. Aquacult Int 24, 1247–1254 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-016-9981-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-016-9981-4

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