
%0 Journal Article
%A Doroudi, Mehdi S. 
%A Southgate, Paul C. 
%T Embryonic and larval development of <emph type="2">Pinctada</emph> <emph type="2">margaritifera</emph> (Linnaeus, 1758)
%J Molluscan Research
%D 2003/09/05
%V 23
%N 2
%P 101-107
%K hinge, morphology, pearl oyster, scanning electron microscope.
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/MR02015
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MR02015 
%X We describe the developmental stages of the black-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada margaritifera (Linnaeus, 1758), larvae from fertilisation through embryonic development and larval growth in the laboratory at 28 &#177; 1°C. Larvae were anesthetised, fixed, critical-point dried and examined using a scanning electron microscope. We examined embryonic development (fertilisation, polar body, blastomeres, gastrula) and attributes of the larval shell (size, prodissoconch I/II, growth lines, provinculum, shell fracture) and larval velum. The first polar body formed 24 min after fertilisation and fertilised eggs had a mean diameter of 59.9 &#177; 1.4 &#956;m. The earliest actively swimming trochophore appeared 8&#8211;12 h after fertilisation. The D stage was reached approximately 24 h after fertilisation and measured 79.7 &#177; 2.3 &#956;m in shell length. Ten-day-old larvae had umbones that arose opposite each other above the hinge axis and 22-day-old larvae, with a mean shell length of 230.8 &#177; 4.9 &#956;m, developed a pigment spot just before entering the pediveliger stage. 
