A molecular phylogenetic and evolutionary genetic study of the family Mytilidae, one of the largest taxa of bivalve molluscs, was conducted based on nucleotide sequences using three nuclear DNA (nDNA) genes (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and histone H3) and the mitochondrial Co-1 gene. The research focused on the systematics of the family, particularly the subfamily Mytilinae. Phylogenetic relationships within Mytilidae and the closely related taxon Modiolidae (order Mytilida) were assessed using both single-locus and multilocus concatenated sequence datasets. The analysis of combined nDNA gene sequences provided a consensus framework for the Mytilidae–Modiolidae system and resolved several taxonomic uncertainties. The results strongly support the monophyly of the revised subfamily Mytilinae Rafinesque, 1815. Furthermore, the data confirm previous conclusions regarding the polyphyly or paraphyly of the family Mytilidae sensu lato and provide preliminary support for the recognition of Modiolidae Leach, 1814 at the familial rank, separate from Mytilidae. The phylogenetic signal obtained on 31 concatenated sequences of the nDNA genes (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, histone H3; total alignment length 2,152 bp) reveals two main branches in the rank of family corresponding to the Mytilidae and Modiolidae, both fully supported (100%). Presented findings of the article, consistent with recent literature, affirming the monophyly of a revised Mytilinae, which based on current collection include at least the genera Mytilus Linnaeus, 1758, Pacifimytilus Kafanov (1984), and Crenomytilus Soot-Ryen (1955). The study also supports the recognition of several major lineages within Mytilidae, aligning with the groups (1) Mytilinae, (2) Crenellinae, (3) Mytiliseptinae, and (4) Septiferinae as suggested by contemporary classifications (e.g., WoRMS). Finally, analyses of genetic distances across taxonomic ranks indicate that genetic divergence increases with taxon rank. This pattern supports the generalization that phyletic evolution prevails at the molecular level in mussels and the animal kingdom as a whole and that speciation in this group occurs primarily through a geographic (allopatric) model.
Sea cucumbers are ecologically important marine invertebrates that play key roles in nutrient recycling and are highly valued in Asian gastronomy, traditional medicine, and as a source of bioactive compounds. Increasing market demand has led to severe impacts on natural populations through overfishing and illegal harvesting. Aquaculture has been proposed as a sustainable alternative, with hatchery breeding and juvenile production representing critical steps for successful cultivation. This study provides the first report of spawning induction, early development, and experimental juvenile culture of Parathyone braziliensis, an endemic species from Brazilian coast. Broodstock were collected at Armação do Itapocoroy (southern Brazil), transferred to a hatchery and successfully induced to spawn through thermal stimulation. Approximately 1 h after thermal shock, males released sperm, followed by the females releasing large, negatively buoyant oocytes (458.1 ± 27.9 µm). After fertilization, development was lecithotrophic and occurred entirely within the fertilization envelope, with no planktotrophic auricularia stage. The pentactula stage (458.3 ± 41.9 µm) was reached after approximately 60 h. Early juveniles (835.5 ± 148.2 µm) were observed after 8 days, and individuals reached 2.51 ± 0.2 mm after 36 days, when they were transferred to a sea-based nursery system. After 4 mo of nursery rearing, juveniles reached a mean length of 20.81 ± 4.2 mm, with survival of 92.8%. The absence of a planktotrophic larval phase represents a significant advantage for hatchery production, as it eliminates one of the most labor-intensive and mortality-prone stage of sea cucumber culture. High juvenile survival and rapid growth observed in the sea-based nursery further highlight P. braziliensis as a potential candidate for sea cucumber aquaculture development in Brazil.
Sea urchin gonads possess attributes that are considered indicators of market quality, and those of Tripneustes depressus meet international quality standards. During the annual cycle, 15 wild individuals were collected each month. Gonads were classified into first-, second-, and third-quality classes, based on a combination of sensory parameters (color, texture, and firmness). Subsequently, biological and biochemical variables [test diameter, total weight, gonad wet weight, cell composition, biochemical composition, energy content, and free amino acid profile including the color parameters (CIELAB coordinates)] were evaluated with respect to this classification. The first-class quality corresponded to bright yellow gonads with high lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) values and a color difference (ΔE*ab) less than 20. Other characteristics of the first-class quality included large gonads (32–77 g), with a higher proportion in males, and a higher proportion of nutritive phagocytes relative to germ cells, providing essential nutrients for cell development. Total protein levels were high in all quality classes and in both sexes, contributing the greatest energy to the gonad. The free amino acids that showed the highest levels in the three gonad-quality classes were glycine, glutamate, and arginine, all associated with a good gonad taste. A high proportion of good-quality gonads were found throughout the year, peaking between May and September. In this season, sex and test diameter do not influence gonad quality; these favorable gonad characteristics make T. depressus suitable for commercialization.
Restoration of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) reefs increasingly relies on remote setting of spat-on-shell; yet, high post-deployment mortality from predators limits restoration success. Predator-induced shell hardening offers a promising tool for enhancing oyster survival, but the applicability of induction at restoration scales and over the range of habitats in need of reestablishment has not been thoroughly tested. This study tested whether incorporating predator chemical cues into large-scale remote setting improves oyster survival on a subtidal oyster reef. Approximately 12 million larvae were settled onto oyster shells in four nursery tanks, two of which contained caged blue crabs to induce shell hardening in oyster spat. After 4 wk, induced spat exhibited 37% stronger shells than controls. Spat-on-shell from each treatment were placed onto a newly constructed subtidal reef in Biloxi Bay, MS, with half protected by predator exclusion mesh cages. After 1 month, predator cue exposure significantly increased oyster survival by approximately 40% in uncaged treatments and approximately 20% in caged treatments. Survival of uncaged, induced oysters was comparable to that of both caged treatments, indicating that induction provided protection equivalent to physical predator exclusion. Thus, predator cue exposure can be easily integrated into remote setting operations to produce stronger, more resilient oysters, enhancing survival in subtidal habitats with high predation pressure. Incorporating predator-induced plasticity into restoration practices may substantially improve the efficiency and outcomes of large-scale oyster reef restoration.
Identifying habitat features that support persistent oyster populations is fundamental for effective reef restoration. A single-season site occupancy modeling framework was applied to evaluate drivers of eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, 1791) presence at 60 subtidal sites in Suwannee Sound, FL. Surveys spanned gradients of substrate type, depth, temperature, and dissolved oxygen and paired randomly selected sites with sites chosen by an experienced commercial harvester to integrate local ecological knowledge (LEK). Substrate type was the strongest predictor of occupancy: shell-bottom sites had high occupancy probability [ψ = 0.857, 95% confidence interval (CI: 0.639–0.953)], whereas mud (ψ = 0.200, 95% CI: 0.086–0.400) and sand (ψ = 0.071, 95% CI: 0.010–0.370) sites were rarely occupied. Models based only on depth, temperature, or dissolved oxygen performed poorly relative to the substrate model (ΔAIC > 16), indicating limited predictive value without substrate information. An observer-specific model estimated higher detection probability at harvester-selected sites (P = 0.952, 95% CI: 0.862–0.985) than at randomly selected sites (P = 0.083, 95% CI: 0.040–0.164), but exploratory models indicated that observer effects operated primarily through LEK-guided site selection rather than detection skill alone. Harvester-selected sites also had consistently higher occupancy probabilities across substrate types, suggesting that LEK captured habitat features beyond broad substrate category, such as cultch density, reef elevation, or persistent shell structure, that were not measured directly. This occupancy framework provides a rapid, empirical tool for prerestoration habitat assessment that complements regulatory site screening and offers a field-validated alternative to habitat suitability index models that are rarely verified with site-specific data.
The swimming crabs Monomia argentata (A Milne-Edwards, 1861) and Portunus sanguinolentus (Herbst, 1783) are warmwater commercial crab species that inhabit sandy–muddy substrates in Chinese Seas. Little information is available regarding for either species regarding the northernmost distribution limit and distribution pattern (including migration route) related to environmental factors in the East China Sea. In this study, bottom trawl surveys were conducted to collect biomass data across the seasons in 2018 to 2019. The total catch per unit effort in weight (CPUEw) values recorded for M. argentata were 183.5, 98.7, 1,752.1, and 928.8 g·h–1 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively, whereas the total CPUEw values recorded for P. sanguinolentus were 9,218.1, 1,901, and 135.7 g·h–1 in summer, autumn, and winter. In November, the favorable sea bottom temperature (SBT), sea bottom salinity, and depth values recorded for M. argentata were 19°C–21°C, 34–35, and approximately 80 m, respectively, whereas the corresponding values for P. sanguinolentus were 21°C–22°C, 34–35, and 70–80 m; however, in January, the favorable corresponding values for M. argentata and P. sanguinolentus were 16°C–20°C, 34–35, and 80–100 m, respectively, and 25°C–28°C, 32–33, and 40–50 m, respectively. It is suggested that juvenile M. argentata concentrated in the offshore water area of the Yushan fishing ground in autumn, migrated from Yushan (when SBT was below 18°C) to the overwintering grounds, such as Zhouwai, Yuwai, and Wentai, in winter, and returned to (when SBT exceeded 18°C) and remained in Yushan and Wentai in spring and summer, respectively. In contrast, the juveniles of P. sanguinolentus concentrated in the inshore water area of the Wentai fishing ground in summer and autumn. The findings presented herein provide baseline data for researchers and policymakers to conserve and manage the two crab resources in the future.
Although molluscan anesthesia has received growing scientific attention, the development of humane and effective protocols for aquaculture applications, particularly in pearl cultivation, remains one of the least advanced areas of the field. This study evaluated magnesium chloride (MgCl2) as a presurgical relaxant for pearl implantation in the milk conch (Macrostrombus costatus) and the queen conch (Aliger gigas), with the aim of improving both surgical consistency and welfare standards. Seven immersion treatments and six combined immersion–injection treatments were tested to determine optimal concentrations and delivery methods. Immersion in MgCl2 alone produced partial relaxation, even at high concentrations (49–57 g L–1), suggesting limited MgCl2 uptake through epithelial pathways. Combining immersion in 49 g L–1 MgCl2 + 0.9% NaCl with injections of 0.333 M MgCl2 near the cerebral ganglia induced deep, stable anesthesia in both species, which allowed surgery under controlled and repeatable conditions without mortality or morbidity. These findings indicate that localized MgCl2 delivery produces reversible nerve conduction blockade and enables controlled surgical manipulation, offering a scalable and ethically defensible technique for molluscan surgery. This work represents a technical and bioethical advancement in pearl aquaculture and supports the broader integration of veterinary anesthesia principles into invertebrate welfare practices.
New Guinea is the largest tropical island and hosts a rich native astacofauna represented by numerous parastacid crayfish from the genus Cherax. Thus, the island is a so-called enigmatic hotspot of crayfish diversity. Many of these species are endemics and remain poorly studied. Although more than 30 species occur in the western part of the island, only Cherax papuanus (Holthuis, 1949) is currently the known crayfish species with an exclusive native range in the eastern half of the island. The only detailed information published about this crayfish is its formal description. The present study provides new morphological and, for the first time, genetic data based on specimens collected from Lake Kutubu, Papua New Guinea, in 1970, 1973, and 2023. Here is provided the most extensive examination to date in terms of population variability and refining some of the key morphological characteristics of the species. The findings presented are crucial for accurate species identification, which is important for future research, sustainable exploitation, management, and potential conservation measures.
Hydrothermal vent systems are characterized by acidified and chemically extreme seawater, posing significant challenges for calcifying marine organisms. Acidification can impair calcium carbonate shell formation in molluscs and is therefore expected to constrain species distribution in such environments. The unexpected abundance of two gastropods—the mobile spiny slipper snail Bostrycapulus gravispinosus (Kuroda & Habe, 1950) and the sessile worm snail Thylacodes nodosorugosus (Lischke, 1869)—in shallow hydrothermal vents off Kueishan Island, Taiwan is described. The two species occupy distinct microhabitats within the vent field and co-occur only within a narrow sympatric zone. Observations revealed that the shells of both species served as basibionts and provided secondary substrates for a variety of epibionts, including sponges, sea anemones, algae, bryozoans, and tubular gastropods. In the sympatric zone, 32.8% of specimens found that had T. nodosorugosus growing on B. gravispinosus shells. This association resulted in reduced shell height of the basibiontic B. gravispinosus compared with snails without T. nodosorugosus growing on them, suggesting a potential negative effect on growth. These findings indicate that the interaction between the two species may involve both commensalism and exploitive competition. The attachment of T. nodosorugosus to available substrates, including living hosts, suggests a space-pre-emption strategy that may contribute to habitat partitioning within the vent system. This study highlights the importance of biotic interactions in structuring communities in shallow hydrothermal vent environments.
A decline in phytoplankton abundance caused by coastal oligotrophication has been suggested as a contributing factor to the decline of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) resources in Japan. The present study aimed to use gene expression analysis to evaluate the nutritional status of juvenile Manila clams. Juveniles were reared under nonfed and fed conditions, and three individuals were randomly sampled from each condition after 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 days. Total RNA was extracted from the whole body of each individual. Expression levels of 11 candidate genes were quantified by quantitative PCR to characterize gene expression profiles associated with nutritional status. These genes included five differentially expressed genes, three extracellular matrix (ECM)–related genes highlighted by an enrichment analysis identified in the previous RNA-seq study, and three enzyme-encoding genes previously reported in the Manila clam. Based on these expression data, a starvation probability model was developed to predict whether juveniles were starved or not. A generalized linear model assuming a binomial distribution with a logistic link function was applied, and model performance was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation. Variable selection based on the Akaike Information Criterion identified four genes—alpha-amylase, C-type lectin, defensin, and ECM-receptor interactions—as optimal predictors of individuals classified as starved, defined as fasting for 5 days or longer. The model was statistically significant and exhibited strong explanatory power. Moreover, it accurately predicted starved individuals with an accuracy of 81.6%. These results demonstrate the potential of gene expression-based modeling as a novel and practical tool for assessing the nutritional status of juvenile Manila clams and may contribute to elucidating causes of the decline in Manila clam resources and to advancing research aimed at its mitigation.
White abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) are benthic, broadcast spawning gastropods occupying rocky substrates at depths of 20–60 m along the southern California coast and offshore islands. Following a period of fishery exploitation from 1970 to 1980, low population densities resulted in persistent recruitment failure. In 2001, the white abalone became the first marine invertebrate in US waters to be listed as federally endangered. As part of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration White Abalone Recovery Plan, a captive breeding program was established to produce juvenile abalone for outplanting to enhance the scarce natural populations and reestablish reproduction in the natural environment. Because few broodstock were available and laboratory spawning success has been limited, the captive population is derived from few wild individuals (<15 parents); still, the effort has produced thousands of young white abalone and, beginning in November 2019, the first outplanting occurred. To prepare for the potential reproduction of these and later outplants, genetic monitoring of potential recovery by tracing parentage of future recruits was included in the recovery plan. Here, the authors report on a panel of 32 new polymorphic microsatellite loci developed for that purpose and note the generally low level of genetic diversity observed at these loci. Variability in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was also assessed by recovering whole mtDNA genomes from low-coverage genomic sequencing runs on three field-collected individuals from this study and a set of 10 samples previously sequenced and available in GenBank. Whole mitogenome sequences showed little variation, with only 24 polymorphic sites identified across greater than 16 kb of sequence, suggesting that mtDNA will be of limited utility in the monitoring program. Given the already low level of natural genetic variation, attention to maintenance of variation in the captive rearing program may be especially important for this endangered species.
Restoration practices that create or augment marine habitat may be used as a management tool to improve ecosystem function and enhance ecosystem services. For example, restoration of habitat-forming bivalves, such as eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), enhances water quality, shoreline stabilization, and fish biomass production. Quantifying the ecosystem services enhanced by a unit of restored oyster reef can inform local and regional planning initiatives that aim to align the scale of restoration with management goals. Quantitative estimates of enhanced fish and crustacean production per square meter of restored oyster reef in two coastal lagoons in Rhode Island were derived by applying species-specific growth and mortality models to eight fish and one crustacean species identified as being enhanced by oyster reefs. Restored oyster reefs resulted in an estimated annual addition of 18.5 ± 4.8 individuals/m2 and 256.6 ± 83.5 g/m2 of enhanced gross biomass productivity of juvenile fish and crustaceans. These results represent a conservative estimate of the potential enhanced production from oyster reef restoration in the New England region of the US. Quantitative estimates of local fish production, and other services will help decision-makers transition to setting goals based on ecosystem services to inform future restoration efforts.
Developing durable methods for controlling microbial pathogenesis in aquaculture with probiotic bacteria is becoming increasingly preferred over antibiotics. Recent research at the Milford Laboratory has shown that naturally occurring bacteria isolated from the digestive glands of adult oysters, Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791) could be potential probiotic candidates in oyster larviculture. Bacterial probiotic candidates were selected using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method, wherein zones of inhibition suggest competitive exclusion of a pathogen by a probiotic candidate. Challenge studies reported previously indicated that addition of one probiotic candidate, isolate OY15 (Vibrio alginolyticus) [Miyamoto et al. 1961, Sakazaki 1968 (AL)] to oyster larvae challenged with a known shellfish-larval pathogen B183 (Vibrio coralliilyticus) (Ben-Haim et al.), significantly improved larval survival (P < 0.0141) compared with the pathogen alone. Mechanisms responsible for this effect were investigated with an in vitro study to determine the effects of probiotic strain OY15, or the pathogenic strain B183, upon oyster hemocytes and their immune functions. This study provides strong evidence that probiotic candidate OY15 stimulates oyster hemocyte immune functionality. In contrast, pathogen B183 caused immune suppression of hemocyte immune functions and significantly higher mortality of these cells. Based upon these results using hemocytes removed from adult oysters, upregulation of larval hemocyte immune activity is at least partially responsible for improved survival of larvae challenged with the pathogen B183.
Wild populations of sea cucumbers are under threat from overexploitation driven by the increasing global demand for their dried products called trepang or beche-de-mer. Fortunately, hatchery techniques have been developed especially for the tropical sandfish Holothuria scabra. Farming and restocking programs, however, often overlook critical behavioral factors that can affect the survival of hatchery-bred sea cucumbers, particularly predation risk. This study investigated the predator-induced behavioral adaptations of hatchery-bred sandfish juveniles under tank conditions. The Conditioned sandfish (CS) group was exposed to a predator cue (i.e., caged crab) and a conspecific distress cue (i.e., injured sandfish) for 20 h daily (1200H to 0800H) over 5 days. In contrast, the na & iuml;ve sandfish (NS) group was not exposed to such cues but presented only with empty cages. The findings suggest that the daily burying behavior of sandfish is not affected by short-term exposure (<= 2 days) to predator and distress cues. But, extended exposure (>= 3 days) elicited a significant antipredatory response in CS, prolonging their buried state from 8 h on Day 1 to 16 h by Day 5. Meanwhile, NS showed consistent burying periods throughout. Consequently, exposures to predator and distress cues resulted in significantly fewer sandfish juveniles emerging among CS. Following the release of predator crabs on Day 6, the CS group exhibited a significantly higher proportion of unharmed sandfish (63.00%) compared with NS group (45.83%). The NS had experienced higher mortality (20.83%) and injury rates (33.33%), whereas CS demonstrated lower mortality (8.33%) and injury rates (29.00%) after 24 h. These findings confirmed that sandfish are capable of associative learning and defensive behavioral adaptations in response to a potential predation threat, including extending their burying state. Regardless of treatment, sandfish preferred to bury beneath the cages, suggesting an innate tendency to shelter even in the absence of predation cues. For practical application, it is recommended that hatchery-bred sandfish juveniles (3-5 g) should be conditioned for 3-5 days prior to release at sites that offer natural refuge or, if necessary, provided with artificial shelter to increase their survival during restocking or farm-site releases.
Small-scale or artisanal production of mab & eacute; pearls from the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin, is supporting novel livelihood opportunities in coastal areas throughout the Indo-Pacific region. For the island nation of the Kingdom of Tonga, this activity is now well established and has led to a use of mab & eacute; pearls and mother-of-pearl from locally cultured P. penguin to produce items targeting domestic market channels linked to cruise tourism. The extent to which these items adequately service demand, however, has not been assessed. This study evaluated market penetration, competitiveness, and favorable characteristics of mab & eacute; pearl and mother-of-pearl products by surveying cruise passengers while ashore in Tonga. Data were generated by identifying cruise passengers who had purchased pearl- or mother-of-pearl products, examining the items purchased, and then determining how certain choice criteria influenced purchase behaviors. The cruise passengers surveyed (n = 268) collectively purchased 99 mother-of-pearl, 49 mab & eacute; pearl, and 19 imported pearl items, with 40.4% of them having spent $70.57 +/- 96.16 Tongan pa'anga (TOP) ($31.09 +/- 42.36 United States dollar (USD)] on 1.6 +/- 0.8 items per person. Nearly all items were purchased as souvenirs (94.6%, n = 159), either for oneself (54.7%, n = 87) or as a gift for others (45.3%, n = 72). A synthesis of results confirmed that cruise tourism is an emerging domestic market channel for mab & eacute; pearls and mother-of-pearl from Pteria penguin in Tonga, with the available items adequately servicing current demand for souvenirs from cruise passengers. Avenues to increase market penetration and competitiveness are suggested, but efforts to increase the number of cruise passenger arrivals will likely have the greatest impact on sales and local livelihoods.
Warming bottom water temperatures increasingly impact sensitive sedentary bivalves within the Mid-Atlantic, including the economically important Atlantic surfclam, Spisula solidissima. A primary characteristic of the surfclam is the regional variability in average maximum size measured by the von Bertalanffy parameter L-infinity (L infinity), varying from around 100 mm to above 170 mm. Variation in maximum length is likely due to the influence of bottom water temperature on surfclam maximum size, a manifestation of the temperature-size rule, which states that animals of larger size will be found in cooler climates. As climate warming persists, the challenge is to evaluate the influence of temperature-determined variations in surfclam size frequency relative to fishery performance under the present regulatory framework that includes a landing size limit of 4.75 '' (approximately 120 mm). A reduction in clam size in the southern portion of the range as warming continues fosters increased landing of smaller clams, thereby increasing the probability of the landings size limit impacting the fishery. Simulations using an agent-based fisheries model, the Spatially Explicit Fishery Economics Simulator, using a range of dredge selectivities, for time periods from present day to the end of the 21st century, with the size limit enforced or absent, are used to directly evaluate the impact of size-limited growth on fishery performance. Simulations show minimal effects on landings, fishing mortality rate, the fraction of landings less than 120 mm, and lifetime fecundity of the stock. The influence of the fishery on lifetime fecundity, about 7%-8%, with or without the size limit, is high in comparison with the fishing mortality rate of about 0.015 y-1, although still slight in terms of population dynamics. The differential originates from the importance of large clams in the catch. Large clams contribute significantly to spawning capacity due to their long lifespan and annual spawning. As large clams are also preferentially targeted, the impact on lifetime fecundity can be expected to exceed the impact of the fishery on stock biomass. Thus, the long lifespan of the Atlantic surfclam, its early maturity, and the dynamic interplay with a volume-based fishery inherently targeting large animals for a range of economic reasons minimize the influence of any regulation designed to limit the take of small clams, sufficiently so as to pose the question: why have a size limit?
Sandfish, Holothuria scabra, is among the most commercially valuable and heavily exploited species of tropical sea cucumber and is traded predominantly to China. This article presents an overview of recent advances and current practices in sandfish mariculture in the Philippines. Molecular approaches for fishery management, conservation, domestication, and culture of sandfish in the Philippines are also discussed. Research on the development of sandfish mariculture began in the Philippines in 2000. Current production is achieved in both land- and sea-based culture systems. Hatcheries can now produce an estimated average of 17,000 sandfish juveniles (1-3 g) annually; however, commercial-scale production of market-size sandfish is yet to be achieved with communal sea cucumber ranches yet to demonstrate feasibility and economic benefit despite two decades of research and development. Expanding partnerships with aquaculture operators and integration of sandfish culture within existing mariculture activities may result in increased adoption of sandfish culture with resulting economic benefits. This approach may provide opportunities to diversify aquaculture production in the Philippines, broaden community livelihood options, increase efficiency and profitability of sandfish culture, and help mitigate some negative environmental impacts of aquaculture through bioremediation. Linking farmers directly with hatcheries producing a reliable and inexpensive supply of sandfish and other target species, such as finfish juveniles, may support further development and expansion of integrated culture of sandfish and other commodities, in the Philippines. The development of molecular approaches to inform sustainable sandfish mariculture and fishery management has advanced considerably over the past decade in the Philippines, making it one of only seven countries now equipped with baseline population genetic profiles of their native stocks. The authors summarize marker development efforts and their application for informing hatchery production, stock translocation, population assignment, and stock traceability in the country. The potential utility of emerging molecular tools such as environmental DNA and marker-assisted selection is also discussed.
