Crassostrea virginica grazing on toxic and non-toxic diatoms

摘要: Abstract Despite high abundances of toxic Pseudo-nitzschia spp. over Louisiana oyster beds ( Crassostrea virginica ; eastern oyster) there have been no documented cases amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) in the state. Two possible explanations are that oysters do not readily feed on long pointed chains cells or they discriminate against while grazing. To test these hypotheses, short-term grazing experiments were conducted with several diatoms, including domoic acid (DA)-producing multiseries (1.31 ± 0.057 pg DA cell −1 ) and non-toxic delicatissima , Thalassiosira weissflogii Ditylum brightwellii . Grazing rates small centric species T. weissflogii significantly higher than larger pointier D. either species. P. was different. Pseudofeces production feces occasionally lower fed other two diatoms. Our data demonstrate filtration C. relative to diatoms tested comparable These findings suggest amongst food types due content.