Examining bivalve fecundity: oocyte viability revealed by Neutral Red vital staining

Beninger, Peter G.; Chérel, Daphné; Kessler, Lucie

doi:10.1007/s10499-021-00686-6

Cited by 5 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Although the estimation of potential annual fecundity is critical to understand bivalve production and population dynamics, it is little explored [65]. Chamelea gallina is characterized by indeterminate fecundity, or better by a potential annual fecundity that is not known before the onset of spawning, since unyolked oocytes continue to mature and be spawned throughout the reproductive season [66].…”

Section: Reproductive Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Chamelea gallina reproductive biology and Minimum Conservation Reference Size: implications for fishery management in the Adriatic Sea

Bargione¹,

Donato²,

Barone³

et al. 2021

BMC Zool

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Background The striped venus clam Chamelea gallina is an economically important species in Adriatic Sea fisheries. The use of hydraulic dredging for its catch has a long history in Italy and its management faced several stages of development in the last 40 years. A great effort has been made in the past two decades to move from poorly or weakly managed fisheries to a well-structured co-management system to improve the sustainability of this fishery. However, a prerequisite for appropriate resource management is a sound knowledge of the biology and reproductive strategy of the species. Results We investigated three major biological features– the gametogenic cycle, size at sexual maturity and partial fecundity – by microscopic, histological and video analysis techniques. We demonstrated that its breeding season is driven by rises in seawater temperature and chlorophyll-a concentration and that its spawning period lasted from March to September. Size at sexual maturity was reached very early in the life cycle. As regards partial fecundity – the number of mature oocytes potentially released by females with ripe gonads in a single release event – varied in relation to size. Nevertheless, the reduction on the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) from 25 to 22 mm (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/2237) lead to a 40% reduction in the number of emitted eggs. Conclusions We suggest that the ability of Adriatic clam stocks to withstand the strong fishing pressure of the past 40 years and the present one is due to their high reproductive potential and multiple spawning events combined with the effect of management measures (closed areas/seasons, quota, MCRS) and technical constraints on the gear and the sieve on board. Moreover, since the reduced MCRS for Venus shells is still larger than the size at maturity, it will probably not be detrimental to the reproductive capacity of the stock.

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Section: Reproductive Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Chamelea gallina reproductive biology and Minimum Conservation Reference Size: implications for fishery management in the Adriatic Sea

Bargione¹,

Donato²,

Barone³

et al. 2021

BMC Zool

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“…Total inviable = Atresic or abnormal + dead oocytes. Data from Beninger et al (2021) and present work.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Moreover, oocyte numbers do not translate directly to fecundity, unless some measure of oocyte viability is known. The most widespread indicator of cellular viability is the neutral red (NR) vital stain, first developed by Ehrlich (1894), and used extensively since the 1970s, both in the medical sciences (e.g., Liu et al, 2018) and for marine plankton (Da Luz et al, 2016; Dressel et al, 1972, and see Beninger et al, 2021 for review).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous work has highlighted the ubiquitous, often‐overlooked presence of atresic (degenerating) oocytes of all gametogenic stages within the gonads of marine bivalves (see Beninger, 2017; Chérel & Beninger, 2017, 2019; Chérel et al, 2020 for reviews and references). Despite the prolific scientific literature on reproductive cycles in high‐fecundity marine organisms, only one study to date has examined the viability of their spawned oocytes (Beninger et al, 2021), that is, what proportion are actually capable of being fertilized and beginning development?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We recently used the NR vital staining technique on the spawned or stripped oocytes of four commercially important marine bivalve species: Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas Thunberg, mussel Mytilus edulis L, clam Tapes philippinarum (Adams and Reeve, 1850), and cockle Cerastoderma edule (L) (Beninger et al, 2021 and present study). Although the mechanism of NR vital staining has been the object of a great deal of unverified conventional wisdom, it is known to rapidly accumulate in intact lysosomes, and to subsequently re‐diffuse into the cytosol much more slowly (Patetsini et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolutionary and ecological insights from vital staining of bivalve oocytes: A Red Queen at the sweepstakes?

et al. 2022

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To determine the proportion of inviable oocytes that are spawned along with normal oocytes in marine bivalves, we turned to a time-honored technique not previously used on invertebrate oocytes: the neutral red vital stain. Despite the difficulty in obtaining induced spawns from field-collected Cerastoderma edule (L), the results and insights from this simple procedure to answer a simple question were unexpected and far-reaching. Mean proportions of inviable oocytes in the spawns of cockle C. edule ranged from 35% to 85%, with the vast majority represented by atresic (autolyzing) oocytes. These levels are in agreement with previous quantitative histological observations of prespawning atresia in both C. edule and the Manila clam Tapes philippinarum. Such elevated prefertilization inviability mirrors the known high level of postfertilization inviability in bivalves. Together, these high levels of inviability may account for much of the early mortality in the type III survivorship curves typical of marine bivalves. The combination of high fecundity and high oocyte inviability suggests a Red Queen-type reproductive dilemma in these species. In addition, the great degree of interindividual variation observed in oocyte inviability suggests that cockles, and perhaps other intertidal bivalves, present a Sweepstakes Reproductive Strategy, in which highly variable individual fecundity confronts a highly variable environment. The neutral red technique promises to be a useful tool for investigating prespawning inviability in other marine taxa, as well as for aquaculture, conservation, restocking, ecophysiology, and environmental monitoring.

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Assessment of viability in coral oocytes: a biochemical approach to achieve reliable assays

et al. 2022

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Examining bivalve fecundity: oocyte viability revealed by Neutral Red vital staining

Cited by 5 publications

References 66 publications

Chamelea gallina reproductive biology and Minimum Conservation Reference Size: implications for fishery management in the Adriatic Sea

Chamelea gallina reproductive biology and Minimum Conservation Reference Size: implications for fishery management in the Adriatic Sea

Evolutionary and ecological insights from vital staining of bivalve oocytes: A Red Queen at the sweepstakes?

Assessment of viability in coral oocytes: a biochemical approach to achieve reliable assays

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