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Risk assessment of parasitic/symbiotic organisms of the commercially important mytilid Modiolus barbatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

A parasitological survey of the edible and commercially valuable mytilid horse-bearded mussel (Modiolus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) was carried out in the Mali Ston Bay, Adriatic Sea in 2004 and 2005 to assess the potential effects of parasitic/symbionts on this bivalve population. Data sets of abundance and prevalence were used to evaluate the structure and dynamic of infra- and component parasite/ symbiotic communities, along with evaluated histopathological changes, to assess the overall risk that these organisms pose to the mytilid. Based on moderate diversity indices and expected seasonal oscillation between the values of prevalence/abundance, parasitic/symbiotic fauna of M. barbatus were shown to be relatively stable, although moderately impoverished assemblages, dominated by two species - turbellarian Paravortex cardii and gregarine Nematopsis sp. Histopathological changes indicated only three species as pathogenic - Gymnophallus sp. sporocysts, Nematopsis sp. and a haplosporidian, although their pathological risk was assessed to be very low or low. From the epizootiological point of view, parasites are not a limiting factor for the successful introduction and farming of the M. barbatus.

horse-bearded mussel; Modioulus barbatus; Adriatic; parasite population dynamic infracommunities; component communities

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