Growth and reproduction patterns of the winged pearl oyster, Pteria sterna, cultivated in tropical environments of Mexico: Implications for pearl farming

The winged pearl oyster, Pteria sterna , sustains a growing pearl industry in north western Mexico, where a subtropica l climate prevails. In tropical areas of Mexico, pear l cultivation may be profitable, but insu fficient information on the biology and eco logy of the species limits the definition...

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Irene Serna-Gallo, Javier MJ Ruíz-Velazco, Héctor Acosta-Salmón, Emilio Peña-Messina, Guadalupe Torres-Zepeda, Pedro E. Saucedo
Formato: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:México
Recursos:Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero
Repositorio:Redalyc-UAGro
OAI Identifier:oai:redalyc.org:48031366001
Acesso em linha:https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=48031366001
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Ciencias de la Tierra
growth
reproduction
Pteria sterna
Bahía de Acapulco
pearl cultivation
Descrição
Resumo:The winged pearl oyster, Pteria sterna , sustains a growing pearl industry in north western Mexico, where a subtropica l climate prevails. In tropical areas of Mexico, pear l cultivation may be profitable, but insu fficient information on the biology and eco logy of the species limits the definition of protocols for crea ting pearl farms. We measured absolute gr owth, growth rate, re productive stages, cha nges in oocyte size, and size at first maturity of juvenile P. s t e r n a cultivated in Bahía de Acapulco over one annual cycle (2009–2010), and compared their response in this tropical area with reports from subtropical areas of Me xico. We also compared the von Bertalanffy growth model with one proposed in this study for aquaculture pur poses. The growth rate was higher duri ng the first six months (5.3 mm month –1 ) and then decreased to 3 mm month –1 until juveniles reached a size of 60 mm in one year. Growth rates were higher in Fe bruary and lower in July through September. Both models described well the growth of P . sterna , but the adjustment and the estimation of pa rameters was be tter with the proposed model. Gametogenesis started in December 2009 at 50.9 mm (males) and 59.5 mm (females); gona d development occurred continuously throug hout the year with a peak in February–March (~25–26 ºC; 2.8  g L –1 chlorophyll a concentration), when the gona d index was highest and oocytes were larger. When compared to other studies conducted in subtropical areas, the specie s uses different stra tegies to channel av ailable energy into growth and reproduction in tropical regions; P. s t e r n a grows quickly in Bahía de Acapulco and may obtain the size ne cessary for grafting (70–80 mm shell height) in 15–17 months.