Species associations and environmental factors influence borers? activity on Ostrea puelchana of the northern Patagonian coast

DIEZ EMILIA; VÁZQUEZ NURIA; URTEAGA DIEGO; CREMONTE F

JOURNAL OF MOLLUSCAN STUDIES

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2014 vol. 80 p. 430 - 434

0260-1230

Seven borer species were identified affecting Ostrea puelchana in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, including the sponges Clionaopsis platei, Pione angelae and Cliona celata (Clionaidae), the borer bivalve Lithophaga patagonica (Mytilidae) and the polychaetes Polydora rickettsi (Spionidae), Dodecaceria cf. choromyticola and Caulleriella cf. bremecae (Cirratulidae). Higher prevalences of borer sponges (55%) occurred in oysters from Puerto Lobos, Golfo San Matías (42° 00´S, 65° 3´W)  while the highest values of L. patagonica (80%) and borer polychaetes (93%) were recorded in oysters from Fracasso Beach, Golfo San José (42º25?S, 64º07?W). Lithophaga patagonica was the most harmful borer organism, affecting the condition of the oyster by lowering its conditionindex. Moreover, our results evidenced a positive association between the presence of L. patagonica and borer polychaetes, suggesting that the borer activity of L. patagonica would favor the polychaetes settlement.