title: Sex determination in blue mussels: Which method to choose?
abstract: Sexing methods of blue mussels are mostly based on the presence or absence of gametes, and do not take into account reproductive cycle stages. Exposure effects can be affected by the sex of mussels, thus the aim of this study is to determine an efficient sex determination protocol taking into account the reproductive cycle stage. Eight mussel sexing methods were compared. This study demonstrates that the first step in discerning sex in blue mussels should be assessing the reproductive stage, which can be done by mantle histology. During gametogenesis, histology allows the differentiation of males from females by the observation of gametes. However, when mussels are in sexual rest, the only method that should be used is the sex-specific gene method.
authors.affiliation: INRS - Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada; Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.affiliation: INRS - Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Marlène
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fortier
authors.affiliation: Université Bordeaux I, 33400, Talence, France.
authors.forename: Pierre-Hervé
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Roumier
authors.affiliation: Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Unité d'enseignement et de recherche science et technologie, Télé-université (TÉLUQ), Montreal, QC, H2S 3L5, Canada.
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parent
authors.affiliation: INRS - Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brousseau
authors.affiliation: INRS - Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.affiliation: Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Département de chimie et de biochimie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, E1A 3E9, Canada.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Surette
authors.affiliation: INRS - Institut Armand-Frappier, Université du Québec, 531 boulevard des Prairies, Laval, QC, H7V 1B7, Canada; Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Well-Being, Health, Society and Environment (CINBIOSE), Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: Cathy.Vaillancourt@iaf.inrs.ca.
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaillancourt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells; D006066:Gonads; D008297:Male; D049880:Mytilus edulis / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction
keywords: Histology; Male associated polypeptide; Reproduction cycle stage; Sexual rest; Vitelline coat lysine; Vitelline envelope receptor for lysine