Temperature-dependent larval development rates of Limnoperna fortunei (Mollusca, Bivalvia)

CATALDO DANIEL; BOLTOVSKOY DEMETRIO; HERMOSA JOSE LUIS; CANZI CARLA

JOURNAL OF MOLLUSCAN STUDIES

Oxford Journals

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2005 vol. 71 p. 41 - 46

0260-1230

Laboratory-reared larvae of Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker) were monitored until the morula stage at 26°C, and from there on until settlement at 20, 25 and 28°C. The first polar lobe is produced ca. 40 min after spawning, and the first division occurs 14 min later. Slightly over an hour after spawning the second polar lobe appears and the second division starts yielding a 4-cells stage. The third division occurs 90 min after spawning, and the fourth 115 min after spawning. The morula stage is reached 3.5 h after spawning. The trochophore stage (size: 95-110 µm) is reached 20, 6.3 and 6 h after spawning at 20, 25 and 28°C, respectively. Straight-hinged veligers (115-175 µm) start appearing 45, 26, and 24 h after spawning; umboned veligers (156-220 µm) – 287, 165, and 118 h after spawning;  and paediveligers (>200 µm) – 480, 313 and 265 h after spawning, respectively. Implications of these findings for the dispersion of the species and for its fouling impact are discussed.