Aquaculture of Green Mussel <i>Mytilus viridis</i> L.: Spawning, Fertilization and Larval Development

Abstract

Ripe mussels were induced to spawn under laboratory conditions by the application of thermal, mechanical and chemical stimuli. Spontaneous spawning was observed in both the sexes in summer months. The early cleavage of the fertilized eggs was traced and different stages of the larvae up to the settling stage were successfully reared in the laboratory. The larval characters were described for the first time to enable the identification of planktonic mussel larvae from the natural environment. In <i>M. viridis</i>, the rate of larval development was much faster than in the European species, <i>M. edulis</i> or in the Japanese species, <i>M. crassitesta</i>. The algal cultures of <i>Tetraselmis gracilis</i> and <i>T. chui</i> were used for feeding the developing larvae.