Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maite Vazquez-Luis, Elisabet Nebot-Colomer, Salud Deudero, Serge Planes, Emilie Boissin
Summary: This study identified hybrids of Pinna nobilis and P. rudis through morphological characteristics and molecular analyses, providing valuable information for the conservation of this species. Further studies are needed to determine the resistance of isolated P. nobilis to parasites and the potential introgression of P. rudis into the genome of P. nobilis.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Pietro Giorgio Tiscar, Fernando Rubino, Barbara Paoletti, Cristina E. Di Francesco, Francesco Mosca, Leonardo Della Salda, Jasmine Hattab, Camilla Smoglica, Simone Morelli, Giovanni Fanelli
Summary: Since early autumn 2016, Mass Mortality Events (MME) have greatly affected the population of the fan mussel Pinna nobilis in the Mediterranean Sea. A newly described Haplosporidian species, Haplosporidium pinnae, is believed to be the causative agent of the mortality outbreak, along with opportunistic bacterial pathogens. In this study, we provided a cytological description of H. pinnae in moribund specimens of P. nobilis collected in the Gulf of Taranto. Molecular analysis also revealed the presence of bacteria from the Mycobacterium ulcerans-M. marinum complex.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Zeljko Mihaljevic, Zeljko Pavlinec, Ivana Giovanna Zupicic, Drazn Oraic, Aleksandar Popijac, Osvin Pecar, Ivan Srsen, Miroslav Benic, Boris Habrun, Snjezana Zrncic
Summary: The noble pen shells along the Eastern Adriatic coast experienced mass mortalities similar to other populations across the Mediterranean basin. The study found a significant correlation between increases in water temperature and the onset of mortality. The detected Haplosporidium pinnae showed high similarity with isolates from other Mediterranean areas, while isolated Mycobacterium spp. exhibited greater heterogeneity across the region.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kinga Nalepka, Katarzyna Berent, Antonio G. Checa, Tomasz Machniewicz, Adrian J. Harris, Pawel Nalepka, Martyna Strag, Lukasz Maj, Aleksandra Szkudlarek, Magdalena Bieda, Krzysztof Sztwiertnia
Summary: Research shows that the reinforcement function of shell ribs depends not only on their morphology, but also on their microstructure, especially the outer layer built from almost monocrystalline calcitic prisms in certain bivalves. The specific microstructure formed to toughen the shell is novel and contributes significantly to the hardness and fracture toughness of the prisms.
MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING A-STRUCTURAL MATERIALS PROPERTIES MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
(2022)
Review
Pathology
Francesca Carella, Dusan Palic, Tomislav Saric, Ivan Zupan, Bartolomeo Gorgoglione, Patricia Prado, Karl B. Andree, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Basile Michaelidis, Athanasios Lattos, John A. Theodorou, Juan Luis Barja Perez, Sergio Rodriguez, Fabio Scarpa, Marco Casu, Elisabetta Antuofermo, Daria Sanna, Domenico Otranto, Rossella Panarese, Carmelo Iaria, Fabio Marino, Gionata De Vico
Summary: In recent years, disease outbreaks have caused mass mortality events in ecologically or commercially important invertebrate marine species worldwide. The noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) has been severely affected, approaching extinction. The causative agent initially focused on a novel protozoan parasite, Haplosporidium pinnae, but further investigations revealed the importance of concurrent polymicrobial infections. Bacteria from the Mycobacterium simiae complex and Vibrio mediterranei-like species were found in moribund specimens during mortality events in Italy, Greece, and Spain. The standardization of diagnostic processes for investigating mass mortality events is crucial and requires experts in veterinary and para-veterinary pathology.
VETERINARY PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Gemma Donato, Maite Vazquez-Luis, Elisabet Nebot-Colomer, Alessia Lunetta, Salvatore Giacobbe
Summary: The largest bivalve in the Mediterranean Sea, the fan mussel Pinna nobilis, is at risk of extinction due to mass mortality events caused by the spread of pathogens. Despite being a protected area, Lake Faro in northeast Sicily suffers from high anthropogenic pressures impacting the P. nobilis population. Long-term monitoring showed a decline in population size and disappearance from canals, leading to colonization by other species like Pinna rudis and Pinctada imbricata radiata.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Raquel Lopez-Nunez, Emilio Cortes Melendreras, Francisca Gimenez Casalduero, Patricia Prado, Federico Lopez-Moya, Luis Vicente Lopez-Llorca
Summary: Pinna nobilis, the largest bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean, has recently become critically endangered along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Coinfections caused by Haplosporidium pinnae and bacterial pathogens are believed to be the main cause of mortality. In this study, non-invasive sampling using faecal DNA analysis was used to detect and quantify Haplosporidium pinnae in P. nobilis, providing a potential new method for epidemiology and recovery assessment studies.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Karsoon Tan, Weijie Fu, Hongkuan Zhang, Hongyu Ma, Shengkang Li, Huaiping Zheng
Summary: This study compared the performance of intraspecific inbred and hybrid Chlamys nobilis under hyposaline conditions. The results showed that intraspecific hybridization of C. nobilis exhibited significant positive heterosis in growth rate, survival rate, and adaptation to hyposaline condition. This stronger adaptation is mainly attributed to the induction of genes involved in osmoregulation, cell protection, and damaged protein repair. Intraspecific hybridization may be a potential management strategy to mitigate the impact of hyposaline on farmed bivalves.
Article
Cell Biology
Athanasios Lattos, Konstantinos Feidantsis, Ioannis Georgoulis, Ioannis A. Giantsis, Dimitrios Karagiannis, John A. Theodorou, Alexandra Staikou, Basile Michaelidis
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the pathophysiological response of infected P. nobilis individuals and their correlation to different potential pathogens. Cellular stress indicators were examined in isolated tissues, including heat shock and immune response, apoptosis and autophagy. The study demonstrates the negative effects of co-infection with H. pinnae and the potential intensifying impact of global climate change on vulnerable populations in the future.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shahrouz Amini, Tingting Zhu, Abin Biswas, Mohammad Avalin Charsooghi, Kyoohyun Kim, Simone Reber, Yannicke Dauphin, Peter Fratzl
Summary: The shells of the Pinnidae family have a structure that includes calcitic prisms and inner aragonitic nacre, providing exceptional mechanical performance. However, the absence of nacre on the posterior side raises the question of its functional role. Recent research has shown that the prismatic part of the Pinna nobilis shell has unique optical properties, where each prism acts as an individual optical fiber guiding light to the inner shell cavity through total internal reflection. This optical system enhances spatial resolution, contrast, and reduces angular blurring, making it ideal for tracking moving objects.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gaetano Catanese, Stephane Coupe, Robert Bunet
Summary: The pen shells Pinna nobilis and Pinna rudis are threatened by anthropogenic pressures, with significant reduction in P. nobilis populations in recent years. The mitochondrial genomes of these species have been determined and compared, showing a close relationship with Atrina pectinata. The newly sequenced mitogenomes provide valuable genetic resources for studying population genetics and species identification.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Melita Peharda, David P. Gillikin, Bernd R. Schoene, Anouk Verheyden, Hana Uvanovic, Kresimir Markulin, Tomislav Saric, Ivica Janekovic, Ivan Zupan
Summary: This study investigated the potential use of Pinna nobilis shells as indicators of the nitrogen isotope baseline and high-resolution data on environmental variations. The results showed significant spatial and temporal differences in the shells' nitrogen isotope values, highlighting their potential as a powerful tool for studying bivalve physiology.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Sebastian Hernandis, Irrintzi Ibarrola, Jose Tena-Medialdea, Marina Albentosa, Patricia Prado, Maite Vazquez-Luis, Jose Rafael Garcia-March
Summary: The fan mussel Pinna nobilis is experiencing a mass mortality event in the Mediterranean Sea. The survival of isolated populations and captive individuals is crucial for the future of the species. This study investigates the clearance rate and oxygen consumption of fan mussels under different temperatures, revealing a critical thermal tolerance limit and highlighting the species' important role in water filtration.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Kersting Diego, Ballesteros Enric
Summary: Research on the spiny fan-mussel and Mediterranean endemic Pinna nobilis populations in the Mediterranean revealed an increase in recruitment rates of the former species following the local extinction of the latter. It is anticipated that the populations of spiny fan-mussel may grow in the coming years, potentially stepping into the ecological role once occupied by the dominant Pinna nobilis.
MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Karsoon Tan, Xueyu Yan, Ransangan Julian, Leongseng Lim, Xu Peng, Hanafiah Fazhan, Kit Yue Kwan
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive review of the impact of hyposalinity stress caused by torrential rains on the physiology and immunity of marine bivalves. Multiple lines of evidence have shown that marine bivalves can withstand the impact of hyposalinity stress through behavioral and biochemical responses. However, excessive or prolonged exposure to low salinity can have negative effects on their reproduction and immunity, and can even lead to mass mortality.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. R. Garcia-March, S. Hernandis, M. Vazquez-Luis, P. Prado, S. Deudero, N. Vicente, J. Tena-Medialdea
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Patricia Prado, Karl B. Andree, Sergio Trigos, Noelia Carrasco, Nuno Caiola, Jose Rafael Garcia-March, Jose Tena, Margarita Fernandez-Tejedor, Francesca Carella
Article
Fisheries
Patricia Prado, Noelia Carrasco, Gaetano Catanese, Amalia Grau, Pep Cabanes, Francesca Carella, Jose Rafael Garcia-March, Jose Tena, Ana Roque, Edgar Bertomeu, Noelia Gras, Nuno Caiola, M. Dolors Furones, Karl B. Andree
Article
Fisheries
Patricia Prado, Pep Cabanes, Gaetano Catanese, Francesca Carella, Noelia Carrasco, Amalia Grau, Sebastian Hernandis, Jose Rafael Garcia-March, Jose Tena, Nuno Caiola, Karl B. Andree
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
J. R. Garcia-March, J. Tena, S. Henandis, M. Vazquez-Luis, D. Lopez, C. Tellez, P. Prado, J. Navas, J. Bernal, G. Catanese, A. Grau, M. Lopez-Sanmartin, E. Nebot-Colomer, A. Ortega, S. Planes, D. Kersting, S. Jimenez, I Hendriks, D. Moreno, F. Gimenez-Casalduero, M. Perez, A. Izquierdo, J. Sanchez, N. Vicente, N. Sanmarti, M. Guimerans, J. L. Crespo, J. M. Valencia, J. Torres, A. Barrajon, E. Alvarez, C. Peyran, T. Morage, S. Deudero
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Patricia Prado, Amalia Grau, Gaetano Catanese, Pep Cabanes, Francesca Carella, Margarita Fernandez-Tejedor, Karl B. Andree, Teresa Anon, Sebastian Hernandis, Jose Tena, Jose Rafael Garcia-March
Summary: The study found that the salinity gradient in Alfacs Bay was associated with a disease outbreak in fan mussels, while the lower salinities in Fangar Bay prevented the disease. Young fan mussels were more tolerant to disease compared to large adults but became more vulnerable over time.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Robert Bunet, Jean-Marc Prevot, Nardo Vicente, Jose Rafa Garcia-March, Rajko Martinovic, Jose Tena-Medialdea, Danijela Joksimovic, Jean-Luc Bonnefont, Stephane Coupe
Summary: The noble pen shell Pinna nobilis is a Mediterranean endemic with high conservation value that is currently facing endangerment and an epizootic outbreak since mid-2016. Genomic analysis revealed that the P. nobilis genome is AT-rich with a GC content of 35.6%, and includes a significant portion of repeated elements, particularly short interspersed nuclear elements. The reconstruction of the mitochondrial genome and identification of immune and stress-related genes provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of the ongoing threat to P. nobilis populations.
JOURNAL OF MOLLUSCAN STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
S. Hernandis, J. Tena-Medialdea, C. Tellez, D. Lopez, P. Prado, J. R. Garcia-March
Summary: A two-year study on the growth of 80 Pinna rudis individuals in offshore cages in the western Mediterranean Sea revealed temperature as the main factor controlling growth, with strong seasonality and phytoplankton availability acting as a limiting factor during the warmest periods of the year. These data will aid in understanding P. rudis ecology and suggest the use of length-dry weight regression as a tool for captive diet formulation for the critically endangered species P. nobilis. Natural mortality was recorded at 0% during the study period.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ainara Ballesteros, Janire Salazar, Macarena Marambio, Jose Tena, Jose Rafael Garcia-March, Diana Lopez, Clara Tellez, Carles Trullas, Eric Jourdan, Corinne Granger, Josep-Maria Gili
Summary: This study reported a severe toxic reaction in a 35-year-old oceanographer following an Anemonia viridis sting. Evaluating the cnidocyst response, it found that vinegar and ammonia triggered immediate and massive discharge, while baking soda and freshwater also activated discharge but with lower intensity. Seawater was recommended as a rinse solution after A. viridis sting.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amalia Grau, Antonio Villalba, Jose I. Navas, Beatriz Hansjosten, Jose M. Valencia, Jose R. Garcia-March, Patricia Prado, Guillermo Follana-Berna, Titouan Morage, Maite Vazquez-Luis, Elvira alvarez, Pantelis Katharios, Christina Pavloudi, Elisabet Nebot-Colomer, Jose Tena-Medialdea, Monserrat Lopez-Sanmartin, Claire Peyran, Hrvoje Cizmek, Georgia Sarafidou, Yiannis Issaris, Inci Tueney-Kizilkaya, Salud Deudero, Serge Planes, Gaetano Catanese
Summary: This study investigates the role of various pathogens in the mass mortality event (MME) of the fan mussel Pinna nobilis in the Mediterranean Sea. The researchers found that infection by Haplosporidium pinnae played a major role in the onset and spread of the MME, while infection with mycobacteria was independent of the MME and associated with host size. Gram (-) bacteria were not associated with the MME.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Patricia Prado, Miguel Angel Lopez, Pablo Cermeno, Ferran Bertomeu, Jose Rafael Garcia-March, Sebastian Hernandis, Jose Tena-Medialdea, Emilio Cortes, Francisca Gimenez-Casalduero
Summary: This study used point pattern analysis and nearest neighbor analysis to investigate the disease spread and population condition of the critically endangered Mediterranean pen shell, Pinna nobilis L. The results showed no recent disease spread, but evidence of localized outbreak in the past. The population mainly consisted of large adults, and there was low availability of juveniles, posing a risk to population continuity.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Zoology
S. Hernandis, I. Ibarrola, J. Tena-Medialdea, M. Vazquez-Luis, J. R. Garcia-March, P. Prado, M. Albentosa
Summary: This study investigates the effects of three different diets on the physiological functions of Pinna rudis using the SFG method. Results show that the commercial diet has poor acceptability and digestibility, making it unsuitable for captive maintenance of Pinnids. The mixed diet performs better in terms of physiological performance, but its lower digestibility may lead to deterioration of individuals' conditions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gaetano Catanese, Jose Tena-Medialdea, Marija Aleksandra Bel Dajkovic, Milena Micic, Jose Rafael Garcia-March
Summary: A multiplex-PCR procedure has been developed for rapid identification of two Pinna species from eDNA water samples. Using specie-specific primers, the different species can be differentiated based on the size of the amplified DNA fragments. This technique overcomes the limitations commonly associated with sampling threatened and endangered juvenile bivalves for conservation strategies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Diego K. Kersting, Maite Vazquez-Luis, Baptiste Mourre, Fatima Z. Belkhamssa, Elvira Alvarez, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli, Carmen Barbera, Agustin Barrajon, Emilio Cortes, Salud Deudero, Jose R. Garcia-March, Salvatore Giacobbe, Francisca Gimenez-Casalduero, Luis Gonzalez, Santiago Jimenez-Gutierrez, Silvija Kipson, Javier Llorente, Diego Moreno, Patricia Prado, Juan A. Pujol, Jordi Sanchez, Andrea Spinelli, Jose M. Valencia, Nardo Vicente, Iris E. Hendriks
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2020)
