Abstract

This study was carried out to reveal the effect of temperature, salinity and aeration on maturation and hatching of Fibricola seoulensis eggs. The eggs were incubated and were observed daily for the appearance of eyespots and hatching. The results were summerized as follows: From 4-5 days after incubation in distilled water at 28C or at 11-26C, the eyespots began to appear and the rate of eggs with eyespots were over 90% in 28C on the 7th or 8th day. However, eyespots did not appear in 5-15C or 4C by the 18th day. The mature eggs began to hatch at the 8th day, and hatching rate 2 weeks after incubation was over 90% at 28C, but it was below 5% at 11-26C, and 0% at 5-15C and 4C. Aeration did not influence the appearance of eyespots nor hatching. In saline under 0.6%, the rates of eyespots were over 90% on the 7th day. The rate was 55.0% in 0.9% at 20 days, and 0% in 1.2%. The hatching rates in salines below 0.3% concentration were over 90% by 14 days of incubation. However, the rate decreased to 44% in 0.6% saline and to 0% over 0.9% salinity. The eggs incubated in the dark hatched in 12.5% on the 10th day, but hatching rate of maturation eggs increased to 85.7% within 2 hours after exposure to light. Above results demonstrated that the best temperature for maturation and hatching of F. seoulensis eggs was 28C, and the miracidia began to hatch at 8-9 days after incubation. In the field hatching and invasion into snails of the miracidia may occur from May to September in Korea. In salines under 0.3 percent concentration maturation and hatching were not influenced, but as salinity increased hatching was inhibited more than maturation was.