Temporal and spatial changes in fecundity of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) in the James River, Virginia

Authors

Carrollyn Cox, Virginia Insitute of Marine ScienceFollow
Roger L. Mann, Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceFollow

Document Type

Article

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

1992

Journal

Journal of Shellfish Research

Volume

11

Issue

1

First Page

49

Last Page

54

Abstract

A~u1t Crass~strea virgi.nic~ ~Gmelin) were examined during the reproductive season of 1986 to determine temporal and spatial vanation m fecundity among md!Vldual female oysters from four reefs in the James River, Virginia. Sex ratio and oyster abu.ndance were. ~so determined to :acilitate ~s~imation of total reproductive output of oyster assemblages. Fecundity was highly vanable, both w1thm and among locations. Vanation was attributed to differences in oyster size, asynchrony and variation in time since pri~r spawning, prevalence of parasites (especially Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) and Perkinsus marinus) and differing salinity regimes.

Keywords

oysters, Crassostrea, fecundity, reproduction, James River

Recommended Citation

Cox, Carrollyn and Mann, Roger L., Temporal and spatial changes in fecundity of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) in the James River, Virginia (1992). Journal of Shellfish Research, 11(1), 49-54.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/721