Reproductive cycle and parasitarian infestation of Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) mussels

Abstract

The reproductive cycle and the parasitarian infestation of Perna perna mussels from Urubuqueçaba Island (Santos í  SP), a sheltered site, and Guaraú Beach (Peruí­­be í  SP), located in a place of open sea, were studied. The study was conducted from October 2000 to September 2001. Biometric data, sex ratio, gonadal stages and parasitic infestation data were recorded. The reproduction occurs during all year, but spawning peaks happen in January-February (summer), May (autumn) and July-August (winter) for the mussels from Guaraú, and in September (spring) and January (summer) for the mussels from Urubuqueçaba. In Guaraú, many spawning peaks occur along the year. The occurrence of trematode Bucephalus sp. was registered in animals from both stations, but the infestation was higher in mussels from Urubuqueçaba, where there is bacteriological contamination. The incidence of parasitism varied seasonally. The highest infestation occurred in spring, autumn and winter for the mussels from Urubuqueçaba and in autumn and winter for those from Guaraú, probably due to the lower temperatures and rainfall along these periods.