No abstract

Blooms of the harmful alga Dinophysis acuminata, which produces okadaic acid (OA), are becoming recurrent in Santa Catarina coast, where most of the shellfish marine farms in Brazil are located. We evaluated the impact of D. acuminata blooms on various haemato-immunological parameters and on tissue integrity of cultivated oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and mussels (Perna perna). Animals were sampled during two natural algal blooms, one at Praia Alegre (PA: 2950 cells l 21 ) and the other at Praia de Zimbros (PZ: 4150 cells l 21 ). Control animals were sampled at the same sites, 30 days after the end of the bloom. The assayed parameters were: total (THC) and differential (DHC) haemocyte counts, percentage of apoptotic haemocytes (AH), phenoloxidase activity (PO), agglutinating titre (AT) and total protein concentration in haemolymph (PC). Histological analyses were carried out in oysters from PZ. The results showed that some immune parameters were modulated during the toxic blooms, but not in a consistent manner, especially in mussels that accumulated more OA (10×) than oysters. For example, mussel THC decreased significantly (54%) during the bloom at PA, whereas it augmented markedly (64%) at PZ. PO activity was significantly altered by the algal blooms in both bivalve species, while PC increased significantly (66%) only in mussels from PZ bloom. The other parameters (DHC, AH and AT) did not vary in both bivalve species. Histological analyses showed an intense haemocytic infiltration throughout the oyster digestive epithelium, particularly into the stomach lumen during the algal bloom.

Perkinsus spp. have been detected in various bivalve species from north‐east Brazil. Santa Catarina is a South Brasil state with the highest national oyster production. Considering the pathogenicity of some Perkinsus spp., a study was carried out to survey perkinsosis in two oyster species cultured in this State, the mangrove oyster Crassostrea gasar and the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. Sampling involved eight sites along the state coast, and oyster sampling was collected during the period between January 2013 and December 2014. For the detection of Perkinsus, Ray's fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) and histology were used, and for the identification of the species, PCR and DNA sequencing were used. Perkinsus spp. was found by RFTM in C. gigas and C. gasar from São Francisco do Sul. This pathology was also detected in C. gasar from Balneário Barra do Sul both, by RFTM and histology. Perkinsus marinus was identified in C. gigas and C. gasar from São Francisco do Sul and Perkinsus beihaiensis in C. gasar from Balneário Barra do Sul. This is the first report of P. marinus in C. gigas from South America. Results of this preliminary study suggest that both oyster species tolerate the species of Perkinsus identified, without suffering heavy lesions.

Abrupt changes in water quality parameters affect strongly the growth, survival and resistance to disease of farmed marine shrimps. However, unlike the determination of the toxic levels of substances affecting 50% of the population, standard protocols to nontoxic stressors tests are often neglected. The main objective of this work was to establish the lethal temperature (LT50) and salinity (LS50) for 50% of the population. Juvenile shrimps weighting from 10 g to 12 g and 17 day-postlarvae reared at 28 °C temperature and 32‰ salinity were submitted to hypothermic stress for one hour at temperatures of 7°C, 10°C, 11.5°C, 13°C and 16°C (juveniles), or for 72 hours at temperatures of 11°C, 12°C, 13°C and 14°C (postlarvae). Besides hypothermic stress, juveniles were submitted to 24 hours hyposaline stress in water having 0‰, 3‰, 6‰ and 9‰ salinities, and the postlarvae for 72 hours in water having 0‰, 1.5‰, 3‰, 4.5‰ and 6‰ salinities. Mortality rates were determined after those periods. The LT50 were 11.7 °C for juveniles and 12.9°C for postlarvae, and the LS50 were 2.4‰ and 1.8‰ for the juveniles and postlarvae, respectively.