Perkinsus marinus in Crassostrea gigas in the Gulf of California

Abstract

To determine the agent responsible for the massive mortalities of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in northwest Mexico, 30 oysters were sampled after a severe mortality event in 2006 along the Sonoran coast. Histological analyses revealed the presence of a protozoan and Ray's fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) assays showed the presence of Perkinsus sp., identified as P. marinus from the DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene complex. PCR analyses for Marteilia refringens, M. sydneyi, and Haplosporidium costale were negative. P. marinus presence in the Pacific oyster may be responsible for massive mortalities of the oyster, along with other environmental factors in the Gulf of California.