Attenuated reproduction of Strombus gigas by an Apicomplexa: Emeriidae-like parasite in the digestive gland

Cárdenas, Erick Baqueiro; Montero, Jorge; Frenkiel, Liliane; Aranda, Dalila Aldana

doi:10.1016/j.jip.2012.03.017

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…This likely is the case with queen conch across the wider Caribbean region. For example, Egan (1985) observed reproductively active S. gigas year round from Boca Chica, Belize, while Stoner et al (1992) reported a spawning period from April to October in The Bahamas and Baqueiro et al (2012) reported an attenuated reproductive period in San Andrés Archipelago, Colombia. However, these previous findings of reproductive seasonality in S. gigas must be interpreted cautiously due to differences in methods and classification of reproductive stages, and the frequency and number of observations made.…”

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Reproductive patterns of queen conch, <I>Strombus gigas</I> (Mollusca, Gastropoda), across the Wider Caribbean Region

Aranda¹,

Oxenford²,

Bissada³

et al. 2014

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Queen conch, Strombus gigas (Linnaeus, 1758), is a species of significant economic importance in the Caribbean Sea, exploited mainly for consumption by a ravenous export market in the USA and French West Indies. Because populations have been depleted throughout the Caribbean region by overfishing, present conservation efforts are focused on regional harmonization of conch management to improve its sustainability. In the present study, we compare the reproductive cycle of S. gigas from eight sites (Florida Keys, Alacranes Reef, Chinchorro Bank, San Pedro, San Andrés Archipelago, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Barbados) to consider the biological rationale for a harmonized closed fishing season. A framework recognizing four reproductive stages for males and females is proposed for use in future studies. Significant differences were found in the timing and intensity of reproductively active stages between conch from western and eastern sites in the wider Caribbean region. Two distinct reproductive strategies were observed: (1) continuous and low level of reproduction throughout the year (Alacranes Reef, San Pedro, and San Andrés Archipelago); and (2) a discrete and intense reproductive period with rapid gametogenesis (Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Barbados). Queen conch required a temperature of ≥27.7 °C to initiate gametogenesis; and were found in the resting stage below 27.5 °C. Based on a comparison of spawning seasons across the reproductive strategies observed, we suggest that the most "biologically meaningful" period for a closed season for the entire western central Atlantic would need to incorporate the months of June to September, at a minimum, to offer regional protection for spawners.

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