Growth and kinetics of lipids and fatty acids of the clam Venerupis pullastra during larval development and postlarvae

This study examines the larval development, metamorphosis and postlarval stage of Venerupis pullastra in relation to growth, lipids content and fatty acid composition, specifically those believed to be essential for most bivalves (i.e. 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3). Clam larvae were fed with two species of microalgae supplied individually or mixed –Isochrysis galbana and Tetraselmis suecica–species normally used in bivalve hatcheries. Larvae fed with T. suecica showed a progressive accumulation of lipids and fatty acids but did not survive to metamorphosis. Contrarily, larvae fed with I. galbana or mixed diet showed a progressive decline in lipids and essential fatty acids (20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3) from the pediveliger stage onwards, and a survival rate of 95% 1 until the start of metamorphosis. The lower content in n-6 and the absence of 22:6n-3 in T. suecica diet might contribute to the massive mortality observed for larvae fed with this diet. That diet seems to fail in the supply of some particular nutrient that allows energetic transformation of reserves for growth and metamorphosis. Nevertheless, larvae fed on mixture diet showed higher weight growth values at postlarval stage than those larvae fed on I. galbana diet. : clam, fatty acids, growth, larval development, lipid s kinetic, microalgal diets, Venerupis pullastra Received 16 March 2009, accepted 15 June 2009 Correspondence: M.J. Fernández-Reiriz, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Eduardo Cabello, 6. 36208 Vigo, Spain. E-mail: [email protected]