Activity of the Marine Gastropod Urosalpinx cinerea in the Absence of Hibernation

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Abstract
Activities of two populations of the oyster borer,Urosalpinx cinerea follyensis Baker, deprived of hibernation in warmed running seawater are described. Seawater was warmed in a nontoxic system lacking moving mechanical parts. Survival, addition of shell, crawling, turning over; identification, mounting, boring, and consumption ofCrassostrea virginica andMytilus edulis; pH of secretion of the accessory boring organ; size and shape of boreholes; deposition and form of egg capsules and development of young, appeared normal. Relatively constant environmental conditions for prolonged periods made the snails sluggish. While maximum deposition of egg capsules occurred in July, small clusters were oviposited sporadically during the remainder of the year. Successful growth and reproduction in the absence of hibernation demonstrated that this snail, unless carefully controlled, could become a serious predator in ponds warmed by coolant seawater from power stations for shellfish culture.

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