| Abstract: | The null hypothesis for this research was that oyster parasites and disease were not associated with increased thermal loading in the Chesapeake-Delaware area. The American oyster Crassostrea virginica (GMELIN) was held at a reference station and a test station in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay area for a year. Oysters from the four stations were sampled monthly for histological studies and parasite incidence together with the infestation of the polychaetous annelid Polydora websteri. The incidence of parasites and disease conditions from histology was negligible. Based on these results the null hypothesis was accepted, that oyster parasites and diseases did not increase with increased thermal loading. However, infestation of the oyster commensal P. websteri increased with increased temperature. |
