Biometry and fouling study of intertidal black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) to determine their eligibility in the pearl culture industry

  • Jha S Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University (Brookshabad Campus), Chakkargaon Post, Port Blair, 744112, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
  • Mohan PM Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology, Pondicherry University (Brookshabad Campus), Chakkargaon Post, Port Blair, 744112, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Keywords: Black-lip pearl oyster, Allometry, Biofouling, Intertidal Limiting factors, Reproductive maturity, Pearl culture

Abstract

The present study on the biometry and fouling load of black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758), was conducted to understand the eco-biology of these intertidal oysters so that their eligibility in the pearl culture industry could be determined. Biometric parameters viz., Anteroposterior measurement (APM), hinge length (HL), thickness (THK) and total weight (TWT) of each oyster were checked for their correlation with dorsoventral measurement (DVM) and fouling load (ΔF) separately by regression analysis. Shell length of collected specimens ranged between 16 ± 3.7- 88.2 ± 6.5 mm. Most of the P. margaritifera from intertidal regions of Andaman were confined to 61-80 mm size group. The average size of all the shell dimensions and TWT increased with increase in the shell length. The rate of increase of all the biometric parameters except TWT, declined in size range >41-60 mm. Maximum and minimum fouling load was observed during September 2011 (27.8 ± 5.1 g) and July 2012 (3.2 ± 3.7 g), respectively. Lower size groups showed maximum correlation indicating isometric growth but in higher size range, allometry was observed as the rate of increase of biometric parameters varied with increasing size range. On the basis of this study it could be concluded that if transferred to suspended culture at an early stage, these intertidal oysters, adapted to survive in harsh environmental conditions, would acclimatize more easily to the new environment and would cross the 61-80 mm size range becoming larger and thicker, a parameter favourable for pearl production.

References

Abraham KJ, Libini CL, Basak R, Madhupal P, Kripa V, Velayudhan TS, Mohamed KS and Modayil MJ. 2007. Biometric relationships of the black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Andaman and Nicobar waters. Indian J Fish. 54(4):409-415.

Aji L. 2011. An overview of the method, management, problem and their solution in the pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) culture. J Coast Develop., 14(3):181-190.

Alagarswami K. 1991. Production of cultured pearls. ICAR, New Delhi.15-21.

Alagarswami K. 1983. The black-lip pear oyster resource and pearl culture potential. In: Mariculture potential of Andaman and Nicobar Islands-An indicative survey (K. Alagarswami, Ed.). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 34:72-78.

Alagarswami K. 1987. Pearl culture. Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 39:136 p.

Alagarswami K and Chellam A. 1976. On fouling and boring organisms and mortality of pearl oysters in the farm at Veppalodai, Gulf of Mannar. Indian J Fish. 23 (1-2):10-22.

Bartol IK, Mann R and Luckenbach M. 1999. Growth and mortality of oysters (Crassostrea virginica) on constructed intertidal reefs: effects of tidal height and substrate level. J Expt Mar Boil Ecol., 237(2):157-184.

Bayne BL and Newell RCA. 1983. Physiological energetics of marine molluscs. In: The Mollusca, Volume 4, Physiology, part 1 (eds: S. M. Saleuddin, Karl Milton Wilbur), Academic Press, London. p.407-515.

Chellam A. 1987. Biology of pearl oyster. In: Pearl culture (K. Alagarswami, Ed.). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 39:13-20.

Dev DS and Muthuraman AI. 1987. Observation on the biofouling in pearl oyster farm at Krusadai Island, Gulf of Mannar. In: National seminar on shellfish resources and farming sessions-II-IV (eds: Mahadevan S, Narasimham KA, Satya Narayana Rao K, Ameer Hamsa KMS and Muthiah P). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 42(2): 306-310.

Dharmaraj S, Chellam A and Velayudhan TS. 1987a. Biofouling, boring and predation of pearl oyster. In: Pearl culture (K. Alagarswami, Ed.). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin, p. 39: 92-97.

Dharmaraj S, Kandasami D and Alagarswami K. 1987b. Some aspects of physiology of Indian pearl oyster. In: Pearl culture (K. Alagarswami, Ed.). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 39: 21-28.

Doroudi MS. 1996. Infestation of pearl oysters by boring and fouling organisms in the northern Persian Gulf. Indian J. Mar. Sci., 25(2):168–169.

El-Sayed AEH, Razek FAA, Abou-Zaid MM and Taha SM. 2011. Measures of allometric growth of black-lip pearl oyster Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) Red Sea, Egypt. Int J Zool Res., 7(2):201-211.

Fletcher W, Friedman K, Weir V, McCrea J and Clark R. 2006. Pearl oyster fishery. Department of Fisheries, Western Australia.

Friedman KJ and Southgate PC. 1999. Grow-out of black-lip pearl oysters, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus 1758) on chaplets in suspended culture in Solomon Islands. J Shellfish Res., 18:451-458.

Gervis MH and Sims NA. 1992. The biology and culture of pearl oysters (Bivalvia: Pteriidae). Manila (Philippines). ICLARM Stud. Rev., 21:1-49.

Gimin R, Mohan R, Thinh LV and Griffiths AD. 2004. The relationship of shell dimensions and shell volume to live weight and soft tissue weight in the mangrove clam, Polymesoda erosa (Solander, 1786) from Northern Australia. NAGA, World Fish Center Quarterly. 27(3 and 4): 32-35.

Hynd JS. 1955. A revision of Australian pearl- shells, genus Pinctada (Lamelli-branchia). Aust J Mar Freshwater Res., 6(1):98-138.

Kimani EN and Mavuti KM. 2002. Abundance and population structure of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera L. 1758 (Bivalvia: Pteriidae), in coastal Kenya. Western Indian Ocean J Mar Sci., 1(2):169-179.

Kripa V, Abraham KJ, Libini CL, Velayudhan TS, Radhakrishnan P, Mohamed KS and Modayil MJ. 2008. Production of designer Mabe Pearls in the black-lipped pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, and the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin, from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. J World Aquacult Soc., 39(1):131-137.

Mohamed KS, Kripa V, Velayudhan TS and Appukuttan KK. 2006. Growth and biometric relationships of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata (Gould) on transplanting from the Gulf of Mannar to the Arabian sea. Aquaculture Research. 37(7):725-741.

Mohammad MBM. 1976. Relationship between biofouling and growth of the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata (Gould) in Kuwait, Arabian Gulf. Hydrobiologia. 51(2):129-138.

Mohammed SZ. 1998. On the epifouling of pearl oyster (Pinctada radiata) in Qatari water Arabian Gulf and its influence on the flesh growth. Egyptain J Aquat Biol and Fish. 2(2):73-85.

Moullac GL, Tiapari J, Teissier H, Martinez E and Cochard JC. 2012. Growth and gonad development of the tropical black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (L.), in the Gambier archipelago (French Polynesia). Aquac Internat. 20(2): 305-315.

Pit JH and Southgate PC. 2003. Fouling and predation; how do they affect growth and survival of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, during nursery culture? Aquac Internat. 11(6): 545 555.

Pouvreau S, Gangnery A, Tiapari J, Lagarde F, Garnier M and Bodoy A. 2000b. Gametogenic cycle and reproductive effort of the tropical black- lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Bivalvia: Pteriidae), cultivated in Takapoto atoll (French Polynesia). Aquat Living Resour., 13(1): 37-48.

Pouvreau S and Prasil V. 2001. Growth of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, at nine culture sites of French Polynesia: synthesis of several sampling designs conducted between 1994 and 1999. Aquat Living Resour., 14(3): 155-163.

Pouvreau S, Tiapari J, Gangnery A, Lagarde F, Garnier M, Teissier H, Haumani G, Buestel D and Bodoy A. 2000a. Growth of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, in suspended culture under hydrobiological conditions of Takapoto lagoon (French Polynesia). Aquaculture. 184(1-2):133-154.

Saville-Kent W. 1893. The great barrier reef of Australia: its products and potentialities, W.H. Allen and Co., London, p. 204-224.

Scardino A, Nys RD, Ison O, Connor WO and Steinberg P. 2003. Microtopography and antifouling properties of the shell surface of the bivalve molluscs Mytilus galloprovincialis and Pinctada imbricata. Biofouling. 19(Supplement 1): 221-230.

Sims NA. 1993. Size, age and growth of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (L.) (Bivalvia: Pteriidae). J Shellfish Res., 12:223-228.

Southgate PC and Beer A. 2000. Growth of black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) juveniles using different nursery culture techniques. Aquaculture. 187 (1-2): 97-104.

Taylor JJ, Rose RA, Southgate PC and Taylor CE. 1997. Effects of stocking density on growth and survival of early juvenile silver-lip pearl oysters, Pinctada maxima (Jameson), held in suspended nursery culture. Aquaculture. 153(1-2): 41-49.

Velayudhan TS. 1988. Studies on the settlement of barnacles at different depths in the pearl oyster farm at Tuticorin. In: National seminar on shellfish resources and farming sessions-II-IV (eds: Mahadevan S, Narasimham KA, Satya Narayana Rao K, Ameer Hamsa KMS and Muthiah P). Bulletin of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, CMFRI, Cochin. 42(2): 301-305.

Zhenxia SU, Yan Y and Liangmin H. 2007. Effect of Fouling on Feeding, Oxygen Consumption and Waste Excretion of Pearl Oyster Pinctada martensii in Daya Bay Cultivation. Mar Sci Bull., 9(2): 34-42.
Published
2014-05-14
How to Cite
S, J., & PM, M. (2014). Biometry and fouling study of intertidal black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758) to determine their eligibility in the pearl culture industry. Journal of Research in Biology, 4(2), 1264-1275. Retrieved from https://ojs.jresearchbiology.com/ojs1/index.php/jrb/article/view/337