Ecophysiologie de la reproduction chez l'huître creuse, Crassostrea gigas

The reproductive cycle of Megathura crenulata was documented and quantification of oocyte lipid reserves with lipo-specific stains was explored in both this species and in Crassostrea gigas. The necessity of providing food to female broodstock C. gigas in spring was re-evaluated, because subsequent larval and post-larval rearing performance was not affected by broodstock starvation during conditioning. Developmental study of the organs responsible of particle processing in C. gigas allowed the identification of critical stages related to the ontogenesis of each organ, as well as a better understanding of the evolution of these organs, highly-modified in the Ostreidae. Ciliary type identification and mucocyte mapping from post-larval to adult stage showed that the heterorhabdic specialization precedes the anatomic formation of gill plicae specific to this condition.