Monitoring the condition of noble pen shells and taking tissue samples for histological analysis of the parasite Haplosporidium pinaee in the Lastovo Islands Nature Park

Within the service ” Monitoring the condition of noble pen shells and taking tissue samples for histological analysis of the parasite Haplosporidium pinaee in the Lastovo Islands Nature Park“ Association Sunce aims to determine the possible presence of living individuals of endangered species of noble pen shell Pinna nobilis in the Lastovo Islands Nature Park.

Pinna nobilis is the largest shellfish in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. Lifespan is spent vertically buried about one-third in sand or silt. The mass death of this shellfish was observed within the Spanish part of the Mediterranean Sea (Western Mediterranean) in autumn 2016 and is thought to be caused by the death of the Haplosporidium pathogen in the digestive system. This can be considered the greatest death of its kind so far, classifying it as critically endangered along the coast.

Field research in the area of ​​the Lastovo Islands Nature Park was conducted in the period from 17 to 22 October 2021 at the sites of Saplun, Zaklopatica bay, Pasadur, Skrivena Luka, Kremena bay, island Mrčara to exclude the possibility of earlier accidental oversight of living individuals and to record possible young individuals. Unfortunately, as was the case in 2019, no living specimens of the shell P. nobilis were recorded during the 2020 survey in the area of ​​the Lastovo Islands Nature Park.

Client: Public Institution Nature Park Lastovo Islands

Service duration:  4.8.2020.-4.1.2021.

Aim/purpose of service: To determine the possible presence of living individuals of the endangered species of noble pen shell Pinna nobilis in the Lastovo Islands Nature Park area.

Service manager: Fedra Dokoza, mag.ing.agr.

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