Open AccessEffect of bacterial epiflora on egg hatching of the Atlantic sardine ( Sardina pilchardus )
Author(s) -
Míguez Beatriz,
Combarro María Pilar,
Guisande Cástor,
Vergara Alba Ruth,
Riveiro Isabel
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1016/j.femsec.2004.06.016
Subject(s) - sardine , biology , hatching , pelagic zone , vibrio , pseudoalteromonas , larva , zoology , bacteria , fishery , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , genetics , 16s ribosomal rna
Abstract The aim of this work was to study the influence of bacterial epiflora on egg hatching of the sardine ( Sardina pilchardus ) obtained from a natural environment (Ría de Vigo, Spain) during the spawning season of the sardine (from January to June). Total bacteria, viable bacteria or the presence of specific potential pathogens for eggs, such as Pseudoalteromonas piscicida and Tenacibaculum ( Flexibacter ) ovolyticus , did not affect the viability of sardine eggs. Additionally, no relationship was observed between the presence of Vibrio spp., pathogenic for fish larvae, and the egg hatching. This was probably because the amount of bacteria associated with the eggs were between 10 2 and 10 4 orders lower than those found so far on the eggs of different fish species in rearing systems. Therefore, epiphytic bacteria did not affect the wild sardine eggs and, hence, in the area studied, it is probably not an important factor affecting annual recruitment success of this pelagic fish species.