An experiment was performed with cul tured mussels (Mytilus edulis galloprovincialis) in the Ria de Arousa, NW Spain, under environmental conditions of temperature, salinity. and food availability, in order to determine the effects of Marteilia refrigens and Mytilicola intestinalis on the absorption rate, absorption efficiency. and condition of the mussel. M. refrigens significantly reduced absorption of organic mailer only when the infection was spread throughout the digestive diverticula of the mussel (heavy infection). Moreover. heavy infections by M. refrigens caused a significant loss of the condition of the mussels, probably as a consequence of reduced energy acquisition. The occurrence of M. intestinalis was not associated with reduction or either ahsorption efficiency or ingestion rate, but infected mussels showed a significantly worse condition

Consellería de Pesca, Marisqueo e Acuicultura of the Galician Government

6 páginas, 2 tablas

Peer reviewed