Fig 1 - uploaded by Melita Peharda
Content may be subject to copyright.
Location of the study sites in the Adriatic Sea. Site 1 (Malo jezero), site 2 (Veliko jezero) and site 3 (Mali Ston Bay).
Source publication
Stable oxygen isotope analyses of U-shaped spines removed at intervals along profiles of the outer shell surface of Pinna nobilis (L) were used to reconstruct sea surface temperature (SST) and validate the periodicity of adductor muscle scar rings on the inner shell surface. Elemental ratios (Mg:Ca and Sr:Ca) of spines, determined using Inductively...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... nobilis were collected at three sites from the coastal waters of Croatia in the south east Adriatic Sea (Fig. 1). Malo jezero ('Little lake', site 1) and Veliko jezero ('Big lake', site 2) are protected marine lakes and form part of the Mljet Island National Park. Malo jezero became a salt water lake (previously it had been a freshwater lake) about 5000 years ago ( Wunsam et al., 1999) and is connected to Veliko jezero through a shallow and ...
Similar publications
The species of the Mytilus complex are difficult to differentiate morphologically because of their high degree of similarity and the impact of the enviroment on the shell shape. A nuclear DNA marker Me 15 and 16 (adhesive protein gene), which is diagnostic for Mytilus galloprovincialis, M. edulis and M. trossulus was examined for 262 individuals (w...
Age, growth and population structure of Modiolus barbatus from Mali Ston Bay, Croatia were determined using modal size (age) classes in length frequency distributions, annual pallial line scars on the inner shell surface, internal annual growth lines in shell sections of the middle nacreous layer and Calcein marked and transplanted mussels. The len...
In this study, changes of average monthly values of the condition index of Mediterranean mussel M. galloprovincialis were investigated at seven different locations in the area of Bay of Mali Ston, in the period from November 2008 to December 2009, as well as their relationship with the variation of monthly values of ecological parameters (salinity,...
Citations
... Prior to 2016, knowledge of the biology and ecology of the species was fragmentary, and several aspects needed further investigation [3,12]. Investigations focused on the age and growth rate of the Pinna nobilis in natural conditions [6,[13][14][15][16]. Biofouling was also investigated [17], and its distribution and habitat [18], organisms that are symbiotically related, such as the shrimp, Pontonia pinnophylax and the crab, Nepinnotheres pinnotheres (Decapoda) associated with this bivalve [18]. ...
... Research was also conducted on growth under natural conditions, mainly on the seafloor [5,7,[12][13][14][15][21][22][23]. Gametogenesis was also investigated, with findings indicating it is generally similar to other shellfish species [24]. ...
The research included 120 specimens of Pinna nobilis cultivated at a commercial park for oyster (Ostrea edulis) and black mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) cultivation. Research was carried out from 2012 to 2016, prior to the start of the mass extinction of fan mussel in the Mediterranean During the study period, the average sea temperature at a depth of 3 m was 14.87 ± 4.22 °C, ranging from 7.83 to 24.90 °C. The age of the specimens at the beginning of sexual maturity was approximately three years. The average length of the specimens throughout the study was 293.01 ± 16.58 mm. Gonad status was monitored monthly by sampling. The gender ratio in the study was 46 females (38.4%), 50 males (41.6%), and 24 undetermined individuals (20%). In our study, the results showed that males mature slightly earlier than females. The main spawning season occurred during the warmer part of the year when seawater exceeded 18 °C, starting in May and lasting until November. During the study, the GSI varied as expected and peaked in June (12.1), increasing from May to September.
... Such a growth rate is slightly smaller than the 4-10 cm·a −1 observed in SW Spain [30] and distinctly greater than the 1.1 cm·a −1 seen in Corsica [23]. By comparison, the growth rate of P. nobilis is 3.5-10 cm·a −1 [31][32][33][34][35]. Shell growth in P. nobilis can be highly variable between populations [31], and even within the same population it can change with depth [36]. ...
In the Mediterranean Sea, the bivalve genus Pinna is represented by two species: the endemic Pinna nobilis and the (sub)tropical Atlantic Pinna rudis. P. rudis is generally less common and mostly restricted to the warmer regions of the western Mediterranean. However, since a mass mortality event, caused by a pathogen infection, has brought P. nobilis to the brink of extinction, records of P. rudis have increased in several Mediterranean regions, where it had not been previously observed. This paper reports on the presence of several P. rudis individuals in the Ligurian Sea, the northernmost reach of this species in the western Mediterranean. P. rudis has become increasingly common between 2021 and 2023, with a total of 28 new records from seven localities along the Ligurian coast. The size of the individuals and their estimated growth rate (3.6 cm·a−1) indicated that a recruitment event most likely took place in summer 2020, when P. nobilis was no longer present in the area. Our observations suggest that the recruitment success of P. rudis increased following the decline of P. nobilis. However, considering the thermophilic nature of P. rudis, in all likelihood, the ongoing water warming is playing a crucial role in the successful establishment of this species in the Ligurian Sea. A full understanding of the recent range expansion of P. rudis in the Mediterranean is far from being achieved, and whether P. rudis will be able to fulfil the ecological role of P. nobilis is difficult to predict. Large scale monitoring remains the only effective way to know about the future of Pinnids in the Mediterranean Sea.
... A total of 322 juveniles of P. nobilis ranging in size from 16 to 95 mm with a mean value of 36.7 ± 15.2 mm were collected on the "Christmas tree" collector, including those parts of the collector where only individual juveniles were observed. According to Richardson et al. (2004) Pinnids such as P. nobilis and Pinna bicolor Gmelin, 1791 exhibit the fastest growth rate of any shellfish during first two-three years (Fig. 3). From all collected specimens of P. nobilis the 120 smallest were separated to monitor the growth rate in suspension (Kožul et al., 2012), and the remaining part was placed in the natural environment. ...
... According to Richardson et al. (2004) fan mussels generally settle on the substrate in late autumn and winter, and in the Bay of Mali Ston the settlement of P. nobilis is more intensive in late autumn than in summer (late summer). The same authors also cite data for sea lakes on the island of Mljet (South Adriatic), where juvenile P. nobilis with lengths between 8.6 and 9.6 cm were observed in Little Lake during the summer and individuals between 10.7 and 11.2 cm in the Great Lake in late summer and early autumn. ...
During November 2006 on a 500 m long experimentally placed ''Christmas tree'' rope collector for juvenile mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819) placed the previous year a significant number of juvenile fan mussels (Pina nobilis Linnaeus, 1758) were observed. Live juvenile individuals (N=322) of P. nobilis with shell length from 17 to 93 mm were found in two sampling events. All juvenile fan mussels were found exclusively on deeper parts of the mussel rope. Observed population density was from 6 to 43 individuals per meter of the rope collector. The 120 smallest juveniles of P. nobilis were separated for the purpose of monitoring the growth rate in suspension, and the remaining juveniles were placed in the natural environment.
... It can grow up to 120 cm in length (Zavodnik et al., 1991) and has a maximum reported lifespan of 45 years (Rouanet et al., 2015). Pinna nobilis is a successive hermaphrodite with asynchronous gamete maturation (De Gaulejac, 1995;De Gaulejac et al., 1995;Deudero et al., 2017), attaining sexual maturity by two years of age (Richardson et al., 1999;Richardson et al., 2004). Despite its ecological significance, P. nobilis larval phase and dispersal potential remain poorly understood (Kersting & Garcia-March, 2017;Trigos et al., 2018;Kersting et al., 2020). ...
... Similarly unsuccessful settlement on larval collectors had also been documented by Kersting et al. (2020), even though they were installed close to a healthy adult population. Although the North Aegean larval collector network was installed prior to the larval collectors of Amvrakikos Gulf (anticipating potential early-season recruitment), possible abiotic conditions such as the water temperature, could vary locally, shifting P. nobilis spawning and settlement periods (Richardson et al., 2004;Kersting & Garcia-March, 2017;Trigos et al., 2018) prior to the larval collector deployment. The successful recruitment of fan mussel larvae on collectors probably depends on a multitude of factors, such as the availability of larvae, the structural elements of the collector, environmental conditions, and the behavior of larvae. ...
Since the first confirmed records of mass mortality events (MME) in the Aegean Sea in 2018, Pinna nobilis populations in Greek seas have been decimated. To bolster recovery efforts, this study aimed to assess the status of fan mussel populations in the Aegean and Ionian seas and investigate potential recolonization through natural recruitment. From May 2022 to May 2023, 163 independent underwater visual surveys were conducted across various locations and depths along the Greek coastline. A total of 4348 P. nobilis individuals was recorded, of which 87.3% were found dead and 12.7% were alive. The sole surviving fan mussel populations were located in the semi-enclosed gulfs of Amvrakikos in the Ionian Sea and of Kalloni in the Aegean Sea, with estimated recent mortality rates (excluding potential poaching) of 7.7% and 6.3%, respectively. To track potential new recruitment, a network of larvae collectors was deployed in multiple locations. Additionally, an ocean circulation model (OCM) was developed to predict the export and fate of larvae from the surviving populations in the Marmara Sea towards the Aegean Sea. Beyond the MME, this study identified several other threats, which significantly endanger fan mussel survival. The findings of this study underscore the urgent need to implement protection measures and restoration actions to enhance the chances of P. nobilis survival and recovery in the Greek seas.
... To test the influence of growth rate on aragonitic biomineralization, we investigated while the outer layer of another venerid, Saxidomus gigantea (Deshayes, 1839), exhibits Sr/Ca ratios positively correlated to temperature [27]. Additionally, metal-Ca ratios can vary significantly throughout the ontogeny of a single individual, as was demonstrated in the large Mediterranean clam, Pinna nobilis (Linnaeus, 1758), which is a member of the more distantly related Pteriomorphia [28,29]. Such variation throughout ontogeny can impact metal-Ca ratios among individuals within a population. ...
Due to their robust preservation and widespread nature, marine bivalve shells are increasingly used as informative, high-resolution records of past environmental conditions. Unfortunately, few studies have investigated variability amongst individuals in a genetic cohort and throughout their ontogeny. We measured several morphological properties and the element patterning of 200-day-old juvenile Leukoma staminea (Conrad, 1837) grown in identical conditions from the same reproductive cohort. We hypothesized that slower shell growth would correspond to the reduced incorporation of trace/minor elements (Sr, Mg, and S) in the aragonite lattice, as has been documented in other biomineralizing marine invertebrates. Microprobe analyses of adult shells revealed higher levels of S, Sr, and Mg in the dark, slower-growing growth lines compared to the light, faster-growing increments, particularly in the inner shell layer, thus refuting our hypothesis. Moreover, elemental count variation within single adult shells generally tracked changes in shell microstructure (i.e., higher counts in prismatic microstructures) and growth line patterns, and these differences are detectable on a micrometer scale. Juvenile shells of different sizes showed variation in S, Sr, and Mg counts as well, but it was unclear whether the variability closely tracked changes in microstructure, body size, and/or growth line patterns. In all individuals, regardless of life stage, the outermost shell layer showed higher Sr and S count values, and these elements closely mirrored each other within individual shells. The results presented herein represent the first in-depth description of the shell mineralogy, microstructure, body size variability, and geochemical properties of modern L. staminea, a common eastern Pacific, shallow, infaunal bivalve, allowing for the rigorous evaluation of L. staminea shells as recorders of past environmental and biological change. Significant intraspecific variation in the young body size, growth band patterning, and elemental composition of individuals of the same age and genetic stock complicates the use of size alone as a proxy for age in historical studies. Additionally, elemental composition shifted from high to low values (for example, Sr ranging from ~190 to 100 counts) at a very fine (micrometer) scale within single shells, as evidenced by visible correlations between microstructure and elemental composition. While young L. staminea shells are likely not useful as archives of (paleo)environmental conditions, adult L. staminea shells are likely suitable if micrometer-scale variability in shell structure and chemistry is accounted for.
... In this study a comparative assessment of the age and growth of three populations of semi-closed Greek gulfs was carried out. The results showed that fun mussel population in the estuaries of Thermaikos Gulf Η μελέτη της ηλικίας και των ρυθμών αύξησης των ατόμων του είδους είναι θεμελιώδης για την αξιολόγηση των πληθυσμών του από την οποία εξαρτάται η λήψη ενημερωμένων αποφάσεων σχετικά με την προστασία του (Richardson et al. 2004). Οι καταγραφές των δακτυλίων που σχηματίζονται στο εσωτερικό του κελύφους της πίννας από τα αποτυπώματα του οπίσθιου προσαγωγού μυ κατά την ανάπτυξη του διθύρου, συνιστούν τον τρόπο υπολογισμού της ηλικίας του καθώς εναποτίθενται ετησίως όπως αναφέρεται από τους και επιβεβαιώνεται από τους Garcia-March et al. (2011α). ...
... Τα αποτελέσματα της μακροσκοπικής μεθόδου εκτίμησης της ηλικίας (χρησιμοποιήθηκε στην παρούσα εργασία) αναμένεται να είναι υποτιμημένα ως προς την πραγματική ηλικία των ατόμων καθώς οι θέσεις του πρώτου και του δεύτερου δακτυλίου (Richardson et al. 2004) ή ακόμα και του τρίτου (García-March et al. 2011β) είναι πολύ δύσκολο να παρατηρηθούν και να καταγραφούν. Ωστόσο, η εκτίμηση των δειγμάτων με έλεγχο της σταθερότητας σχηματισμού του κάθε δακτυλίου δύναται να προσεγγίσει την πιστότητα των ετήσιων δακτυλίων. ...
... Επίσης, στην παρούσα εργασία η εκτίμηση των παραμέτρων αύξησης που υπολογίστηκαν προέρχονταν από μικρό αριθμό δειγμάτων. Αυτό δύναται να αντιμετωπιστεί με τον ανάδρομο υπολογισμό (back-calculation) των μηκών των ετήσιων δακτυλίων σε σχέση με το συνολικό μήκος του αποτυπώματος του προσαγωγού μυ καθώς αρκετοί συγγραφείς έχουν δείξει ότι υπάρχει μια καλή γραμμική σχέση μεταξύ αυτών των δύο διαστάσεων Richardson et al. 2004;Garcia-March & Marquez-Aliaga 2007;Garcia-March et al. 2011β). ...
The increasing number and intensity of natural and anthropogenic stressors often lead to cumulative
effects with eroding consequences for coastal ecosystems. In order to retrospectively explore the
environmental and anthropogenic drivers underpinning the dynamics of the ecosystem of Saronikos Gulf
we developed the time dynamic component Ecosim of an already developed Ecopath base food web
model. The model was fitted against observed biomass and catch data of the main functional groups of
the ecosystem from 2000 to 2020. Model simulations suggest that Sea Surface Temperature (SST), trophic
interactions, fishing pressure and primary production were the main factors explaining the historical
trends of marine resources, highlighting the cumulative effect of environmental and anthropogenic
processes during the hindcast period. This study provides a baseline for future spatiotemporal simulations
that will help towards the implementation of ecosystem-based management in Saronikos gulf.
... The observation of growth breaks in the laminated intervals deposited in the cold season is not surprising given the prevalence of growth stops in winter or during periods of cold water upwelling in modern bivalves (e.g., Hippopus; Aubert et al., 2009;Lartaud et al., 2010). The deposition of nacreous wedges in lithiotids during the transition into the colder season also has a modern equivalent in the form of nacre tongues in Pinna nobilis Linnaeus, 1758 which however deposited in a different season, i.e., after the winter break, when shell ceased to growth (Richardson et al., 2004;Garcia-March and Marquez-Aliaga, 2007). A summary of the interpretation of the climate conditions during the deposition of the Rotzo Formation based on our data is provided in Fig. 14. ...
... Pinna nobilis, the living bivalve with the fastest shell growth rate (up to 1 mm per day), can reach at the juvenile stage annual growth increments >10 cm (Richardson et al., 1999). A nine-year-old individual from Mali Ston Bay (Croatia) attained a length of about 60 cm (Richardson et al., 1999(Richardson et al., , 2004. Pinnids and the lithiotids share some similarities, such as the same shell closure mechanism based on the flexibility of ventral margins. ...
... Interdigitated to FISphP in both Lithiotis problematica and Cochlearites loppianus nacreous wedges occur, being more common and developed in the latter genus. Nacre tongues have been described in Pinna nobilis, although they occur in the inner surface of the inner shell layer (Richardson et al., 2004;Garcia-March and Marquez-Aliaga, 2007) and not in the outer shell surface as in lithiotids. García-March et al. (2011) observed that the nacre tongues in P. nobilis deposited annually and that increasing food availability or gonad development rather than temperature may control their formation. ...
Lithiotids are enigmatic, large-sized bivalves that formed an important biotic component of tropical shallow marine environments during the Early Jurassic. Lithiotis problematica and Cochlearites loppianus are the most peculiar lithiotids, characterized by stick-like shells of predominantly aragonite which is generally calcitized or replaced by sparry calcite. Uniquely preserved specimens of these two species from the upper Sinemurian-Pliensbachian (Lower Jurassic) Rotzo Formation (Trento Platform, northern Italy), containing large parts of pristine shell (based on SEM, cathodoluminescence, and μXRF analysis), were selected for a sclerochronological and sclerochemical study, allowing to describe in detail the lithiotid microstructures, to decipher seasonal patterns and to investigate their functional and paleoenvironmental significance.
We show that the outer shell layer of lithiotids, rarely preserved, consists of a calcitic simple prismatic microstructure with an asymmetrical thickness between the two valves, whereas the inner layer is aragonitic and is mainly composed of a fibrous irregular spherulitic prismatic fabric, which allowed a very fast shell growth. The latter microstructure is currently unknown in other mollusc shells. We recognized diurnal, fortnightly and annual growth increments, documenting a maximum annual growth of about 25 mm/yr in ventral direction. Stable isotopes show a clear annual periodicity suggesting seasonal changes in the paleoenvironment, which also affected the shell microstructures. During the warm season, first-order prisms are very elongated and show a massive structure without growth breaks, whereas during the cold season prisms are short and with growth cessations. Our results highlight the unique adaptation of lithiotid bivalves that allowed them to dominate the tropical shelf seas during the Early Jurassic.
... Taxa found exclusively in the summer-autumn period were M. adriaticus, Mytilaster n.i., B. barbata, A. noae, Limidae n.i., Pinna nobilis and V. gibba, while Tellinidae settled exclusively in spring-summer. Data in the literature on M. barbatus, P. nobilis and H. arctica reproduction and settlement are consistent with our findings [83][84][85][86]. ...
... Higher spat abundance of Ostreidae was found in summerautumn, which is consistent with the spawning period of Crassostrea gigas and settlement of Ostrea edulis in the Adriatic Sea [43,82]. [83][84][85][86]. ...
Among aquaculture activities, shellfish culture is considered more sustainable and beneficial in terms of food security. Currently, only a few bivalve species are reared and there is a need to explore the possibility to introduce new candidates for shellfish farming. Due to the lack of information on bivalve recruitment in the North-Western Adriatic Sea, in this study, the possibility to collect natural spat of commercial species was investigated. Artificial collectors (net bags) were deployed in two sites, Pellestrina and Caleri (North-Western Adriatic Sea), within two commercial mussel parks, during the spring–summer and summer–autumn periods. At both sites, collectors were placed at a distance of 1 m from each other, from 5 to 14 m depth. The influence of season, site and depth on bivalve recruitment was inspected and the presence of invasive species was also evaluated. In all, 28 bivalve taxa were found, and a higher settlement rate was observed in summer–autumn compared to the spring–summer period. Mytilus galloprovincialis, Flexopecten glaber, Mimachlays varia and Aequipecten opercularis were the most abundant species in spring–summer. In the summer–autumn period, in both sites analysed, a very high quantity of Anadara transversa and F. glaber were found. Indeed, these species were dominant at Pellestrina and Caleri, respectively. Another non-indigenous species, Arcuatula senhousia, was also detected. Relevant amounts of Pectinidae spat, F. glaber in particular, were collected and the optimal depth range for the scallop spat collection was found to be between 8 and 14 m. Our results highlight the relevant potential of Pectinidae spat collection along the North-Western Adriatic coasts, even though the presence of invasive species needs to be monitored.
... The determination of growth parameters is crucial for population dynamic and has been employed as a setting of useful measures to maintain reasonable stocks exploitation and management (Peharda et al. 2006;Chater et al. 2018). Therefore, bivalves are used as model objects for studies of intra-specific variability in growth rate under climate and environmental changes because of their long lifespan (Richardson et al. 2004). The growth parameters (such as length, weight… etc) are very sensitive to environmental factors and can be practically measured in bivalve shells (Mohammad et al. 2014;Gerasimova et al. 2016). ...
This study was carried out on the natural populations of Venerupis decussata from two Tunisian lagoons (North and Boughrara). Dynamics and morphological structures, growth and age characteristics of these clams were determined. Additionally, condition (CI) and gonadic (GI) indices were monthly determined from both populations. These indices were used as a tool in the determination of the harvesting period of this species which seems to be linked to the spring season. Our data showed that the dominant length ranged from 28.96 to 37.18 mm, while weight ranged from 17.91 to 20.98 and width ranged from 4.56 to 5.59 for both populations collected, respectively, from North Lagoon and Boughrara Lagoon. The morphological relationships indicated hypoallometry and hyperallometry between weight (2.347 ≤ b ≤ 2.816) and length (0.644 ≤ b ≤ 0.912), respectively. The marginal examination implied that only one growth increment was formed per year mainly during the summer season. The age class ranged from one to sixth with the dominance of the five age groups in the population of Boughrara as compared to the North Lagoon population, which reached the sixth age group. According to our results, the von Bertalanffy growth parameters were assumed and estimated to K 0.3 and 0.4 year−1 and L∞ 41 and 37.09 mm for the North and Boughrara populations, respectively. Furthermore, the growth performance index (Φ), age precision examination (IAPE), coefficient of age variation (CV) and annual growth rate (Gx) were assessed revealing that North population has a better growth rate as compared to the Boughrara one.
... All other species of the Pinnidae family including P. nobilis and P. bicolor are those whose shells grow the fastest in all bivalve species (Richardson et al., 2004). ...
The population of fan mussel, Pinna nobilis across the Mediterranean Sea has been affected by factors such as overfishing, fisheries processes, environmental pollution, destruction of habitat, tourism, etc. Therefore, the species P. nobilis was taken under protection by the Decisions of the Council of Europe and Barcelona Convention. However, its mortality rates of 100% have been reported to be due to Haplosporidium pinnae, a parasite in different Mediterranean regions. The status of P. nobilis has thus been revised to be reduced from “Vulnerable” to “Critically Endangered” and the importance of all the studies on the species further increased. The aim of the study is to present the current status of P. nobilis, the native to the Mediterranean, by combining the relevant studies on ecology, aquacultural process (larvae, spat settlement and rearing), culture methods and transplantation. The present study has provided comprehensive knowledge on the current status P. nobilis population, aquaculture and transplantation activities. Except for studies to determine stocks, in particular, those on collecting young individuals from nature and planting and growing them in predetermined sites as well as their production through various cultures from their larval phase onwards are of great importance in terms of rehabilitation and sustenance of the damaged P. nobilis population. Therefore, alternative and potential habitats should be created thanks to transplantation and aquaculture. Marine protected areas should be determined to enable a healthy P. nobilis population to be sustained.
