L. Pereira, S. Quezada
Abstract:
The keyhole limpet or black limpet, Fissurella latimarginata is dioecious with white gonad in males and green in females. Black limpet can be distinguished from the thirteen southamerican Fissurella species by its large size, submareal distribution, yellow mantle edge and black foot. The main spawning season is late spring to early autumn. Mature adults were collected from wild populations and placed into the basket net and suspended in tanks to induce the spawning. During the spawning individuals were placed separatedly by sex. The quantity of eggs spawned was estimated. The fertilization was achieved adding sperm to oocytes. The larvae hatched occurs between 30-40 hr post fertilization incubated at 13 C. The veliger stage was obtained 144-168 hrs and metamorphosis occurred 6 days post fertilization at maximum size of 220 mm revealed by casting off the velum. During the larval stages they were not fed at any time. After 3 months they reached the size of 2182 mm at 13 C with average growth rate of 12.3 mm/day before settlement and 23.7 mm/day after metamorphosis. This result suggests that the keyhole limpet culture is feasible. However, it is necessary to study with more details the embryos and larval stages like the metamorphosis process.
(Departamento de Acuacultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar Universidad Catolica del Norte Casilla 117, Coquimbo, Chile)