Research progress of shell boring mud-blister worm infestation in shellfish aquaculture

Abstract

Mud-blister worms are widely distributed in the ocean all over the world. It is well known that they inhabit the shell of shellfish, leading to the collapse of many shellfish farms. Although there are many reports of mud-blister worm incidents, many articles are not published in English, or the species of mud-blister worms have been identified wrongly, or the species names have been synchronized (merged) due to the high morphologically and genetically similar. Therefore, there is a need for a rigorous scientific review on the updated distribution, economic impact and potential treatments of mud-blister worm infestations. The development of shellfish aquaculture has led to the international transfer of shellfish form farms to farms for aquaculture purposes, in which has led to the widespread of mud-blister worms around the world's oceans. Although many treatments have been proposed, most are impractical due to the complexity of logistic, large scale or harmful to the host and environment. However, there are several approaches, including avoidance strategy, management strategy and genetic breeding strategy are potential solutions to mitigate the effects of mud-blister worm infestations in shellfish farms. This information will contribute to the development of aquaculture and fishery management plans to be implemented in shellfish aquaculture.