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Animals
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Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction
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Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2025 | Viewed by 4017

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sobhan Akhavan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Aquaculture, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Nelson, New Zealand
Interests: aquaculture; reproduction biology; aquatic animal physiology and endocrinology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Mark Burdass

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Aquaculture, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Nelson, New Zealand
Interests: aquaculture; aquatic animal welfare; aquatic animal health; aquatic animal physiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Shellfish are a diverse group of aquatic animals and can be broadly categorized into three main groups: molluscs (Bivalves, Gastropods and Cephalopods), crustaceans (Shrimp, lobsters and crabs) and echinoderms (sea urchins and sea cucumbers). Shellfish aquaculture has a long history and in more recent times has expanded in many countries. This expansion has been led by increased innovation and improved productivity.  This Special Issue on "Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction" provides a platform for the latest developments in the critical domains of shellfish cultivation and reproductive biology. Encompassing diverse mollusc, crustacean and echinoderms species, the Issue welcomes contributions on innovative farming techniques, closing the life cycle, advances in aquaculture hatchery technology, broodstock husbandry and spawning, shellfish reproductive biology, including physiology, behavior, and molecular mechanisms, biosecurity measures and sustainable practices, health issues during larval rearing, and advancements in breeding programs. We hope this Special Issue helps to shape the future of sustainable shellfish aquaculture.

Dr. Sobhan Akhavan
Dr. Mark Burdass
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • shellfish
  • aquaculture
  • physiology
  • selective breeding
  • innovative farming
  • sustainability
  • hatchery production
  • specific pathogen free
  • biosecurity

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2477 KiB  
Article
Characterising Sex-Specific Metabolite Differences in New Zealand Geoduck (Panopea zelandica) Using LC-MS/MS Metabolomics
by Leonie Venter, Andrea C. Alfaro, Jeremie Zander Lindeque, Peet J. Jansen van Rensburg, Natalí J. Delorme, Norman L. C. Ragg and Leonardo N. Zamora
Animals 2025, 15(6), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15060860 - 17 Mar 2025
Viewed by 396
Abstract
Geoduck aquaculture is becoming a key component in meeting international market demand, given the natural and regulatory restrictions on wild geoduck supply. Geoduck clams are not sexually dimorphic, making it practically unfeasible to distinguish between males and females prior to a spawning event. [...] Read more.
Geoduck aquaculture is becoming a key component in meeting international market demand, given the natural and regulatory restrictions on wild geoduck supply. Geoduck clams are not sexually dimorphic, making it practically unfeasible to distinguish between males and females prior to a spawning event. To facilitate increased production of geoduck, a better understanding of reproductive biology and associated targeted bio-markers is required. In this study, metabolomics was utilised as a research tool to distinguish between metabolites related to male and female New Zealand geoduck (Panopea zelandica), gill and muscle samples collected from broodstock individuals housed in an experimental hatchery. A total of 17 metabolites were detected, showing significant differences between sexes. The findings indicate that metabolites associated with lipid biosynthesis were increased in female clams to support reproductive functions. An increase in carbohydrate-linked metabolic pathways was detected in male geoduck, arguably to sustain sperm production. Taurine has been reported as a biomarker to distinguish between male and female bivalves in other studies and is confirmed within this study, with significant elevation in male adductor muscle tissue. Moreover, male geoduck had increased purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis, supporting energy needs. This study provides useful sex biomarkers for future breeding strategies of P. zelandica. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction)
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18 pages, 2867 KiB  
Article
Effects of Geographical Origin and Timing of Broodstock Collection on Hatchery Conditioning of the Clam Ruditapes decussatus (L. 1758)
by Rania Azirar, Samah Fettach, Fiz da Costa, Montse Pérez, Abderrahim Chiaar, Adil Aghzar and Yassine Ouagajjou
Animals 2025, 15(1), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15010029 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 815
Abstract
The grooved carpet shell clam (Ruditapes decussatus), widely found along Morocco’s coasts and estuaries, is a key economic resource due to its high market value. However, clam production has declined over recent decades, largely due to the overexploitation of natural beds, [...] Read more.
The grooved carpet shell clam (Ruditapes decussatus), widely found along Morocco’s coasts and estuaries, is a key economic resource due to its high market value. However, clam production has declined over recent decades, largely due to the overexploitation of natural beds, and recruitment failures, leading to a limited wild spat availability. This study examined how the broodstock collection season (winter vs. summer) and origin (South Atlantic vs. North Mediterranean) affect broodstock performances in hatcheries. The maturity development (condition index (CI) and gonadal condition index (GCI)), histological examination, and reproductive output were evaluated. The results showed that Mediterranean clams achieved a higher maturity during winter conditioning (CI = 13.60 ± 1.02, GCI = 6.01 ± 0.90) than the Atlantic population (CI = 11.51 ± 1.50, GCI = 5.31 ± 1.14). Moreover, Mediterranean clams produced more oocytes per female (2.34 million), despite the lower spawning rate (42%), compared to the Atlantic clams (1.68 million) with a 69% spawning rate by the end of the winter conditioning. These findings highlight the importance of selecting broodstock by geographic origin to optimize shellfish hatchery production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction)
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17 pages, 3720 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Stocking Densities on Snail Bellamya purificata Foot Muscle Nutritional Quality and Metabolic Function
by Yingyue Lou, Rui Jia, Bing Li, Linjun Zhou, Jian Zhu and Yiran Hou
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3618; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243618 - 15 Dec 2024
Viewed by 909
Abstract
Snail Bellamya purificata is not only useful for bioremediation, purifying aquaculture environments, but it is also a commercially valuable and nutritionally rich aquatic product. To analyze the effect of various stocking densities on the muscle nutritional quality and metabolic functions of B. purificata [...] Read more.
Snail Bellamya purificata is not only useful for bioremediation, purifying aquaculture environments, but it is also a commercially valuable and nutritionally rich aquatic product. To analyze the effect of various stocking densities on the muscle nutritional quality and metabolic functions of B. purificata. The transcriptome and metabolome were analyzed and set up three different density groups—low (LD, 234.38 g/m2), medium (MD, 468.75 g/m2), and high (HD, 937.5 g/m2). The results of the study showed that the weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) of B. purificata in the MD and HD groups were significantly lower compared to the LD group. High stocking density significantly reduced the oleic acid (C18:1n9c), linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n3), eicosadienoic acid (C20:2), erucic acid (C22:1n9), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n3), and lignoceric acid (C24:0) levels within snail foot muscle. Most of the identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were categorized as Signal transduction, according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG); these genes were categorized into Transport and catabolism, Endocrine system, and Immune system. A total of 11 upregulated DEGs and 19 downregulated DEGs were identified and confirmed to be associated with density stress. The identified metabolites were mainly enriched in the Metabolism category, with 620 differential metabolites identified in positive ion (POS) mode and 265 differential metabolites identified in the negative ion (NEG) mode among different stocking density groups. The differential metabolites affected by stocking density were primarily amino acids, nucleic acids, vitamins, and lipid metabolites. There were 8 upregulated differential metabolites and 14 downregulated differential metabolites identified and confirmed to be associated with density stress. These findings elucidated the response mechanisms of B. purificata to adverse stocking density conditions and provide data and a theoretical basis for selecting appropriate stocking densities for B. purificata. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction)
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Review

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22 pages, 2229 KiB  
Review
Farming of Indigenous Crayfish in Russia: A Mini-Review of Recent Studies
by Alexander G. Dvoretsky and Vladimir G. Dvoretsky
Animals 2025, 15(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15020223 - 15 Jan 2025
Viewed by 961
Abstract
Natural populations of crayfish in Europe have experienced significant declines due to the spread of crayfish plague, overfishing, competition with invasive crayfish species, and habitat degradation. Consequently, crayfish farming has gained importance in meeting the increasing demand for crayfish products. Although Russia boasts [...] Read more.
Natural populations of crayfish in Europe have experienced significant declines due to the spread of crayfish plague, overfishing, competition with invasive crayfish species, and habitat degradation. Consequently, crayfish farming has gained importance in meeting the increasing demand for crayfish products. Although Russia boasts abundant water resources, the development of crayfish aquaculture remains nascent. In this review, we consolidate recent studies by Russian researchers that focus on various aspects of crayfish cultivation. Extensive cultivation in open ponds is the most suitable method, owing to its accessibility and lower costs; however, it necessitates suitable environmental conditions within the water bodies. The production cycle encompasses pond preparation, stocking, exploration, restoration, and monitoring. Controlled cultivation of egg-bearing females is essential for producing high-quality seedstock for subsequent rearing. Experimental evidence suggests that crayfish exhibit high adaptability to artificial conditions, with formulated diets comprising artificial feeds for sturgeon and powdered dried beef by-products demonstrating promising results in terms of growth performance. Plastic tangled threads and mink shelters are recommended to reduce cannibalism. Short-term grow-out of juvenile crayfish can yield a profit margin of 17%, while a complete two-year production cycle is projected to achieve financial break-even over three years. The primary challenges confronting the industry include disease management, cannibalism, the need for skilled technical personnel, and insufficient financial and policy support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research on Shellfish Aquaculture and Reproduction)
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