Evaluation of mucus, Navicula, and mixed diatoms as larval settlement inducers for the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina

Abstract

Different biological films reportedly effective in larval settlement of other abalone species were tested on the tropical abalone Haliotis asinina to determine the most effective settlement inducers for the species. Larval attachment was significantly higher on mucus, Navicula, Navicula+mucus, and mixed diatoms+mucus than on mixed diatoms and the blank control. Metamorphosis was significantly higher on Navicula, Navicula+mucus. These results indicate the important contribution of mucus in larval settlement and the effectiveness of Navicula as a single species over mixed diatoms in larval settlement of the tropical abalone H. asinina.