Abstract

Attachment, metamorphosis and early growth of larval abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta in response to Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta and mixed diatoms

Author(s): W.Z.Wu, D.H.Zhao, C.P.Chen, X.S.Li, Y.H.Gao, J.R.Liang

The attachment, metamorphosis and growth response of larval abalone Haliotis diversicolor supertexta to a benthic diatom Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta andmixed diatomswere investigated in the laboratory. Larval attachment and metamorphosis were significantly higher on well-grown diatom species C. placentula var. euglypta than on mixed diatoms and the blank control. Better growth of newly attached abalone larvae was also observed on the C. placentula var. euglypta during the early rearing days. All the results indicated that larval attachment in response to diatom films depended either on diatomspecies, or the diatomcell density, or the age of diatom film, or the physiological condition of diatom. High larval attachment on the diatom films yielded high larval metamorphosis, survival and shell length. The early growth of abalone larvae also depended on the diatomfilms.