Journal de biologie marine et d'océanographie

Mytilus galloprovincialis: Reproductive Cycle of Fields Mussels Close to a Lagoon (North Atlantic, Moulay Bousselham, Morocco)

Sanaa Bhaby

Mytilus galloprovincialis: Reproductive Cycle of Fields Mussels Close to a Lagoon (North Atlantic, Moulay Bousselham, Morocco)

This work concerns the gametogenesis of a mussels’ deposit located in the Atlantic northern shoreline of Morocco, in Moulay Bousselham. The concerned coast is characterized by specific hydrodynamic conditions: it is subject to freshwater input from rivers that are supplying the surrounding lagoon. The results are discussed on the basis of adequate statistical inferences. The winter and spring seasons are characterized by high emission of gametes, and throughout the year, there is a significant proportion of mature gametes. To achieve this result, we considered the following two biological parameters: the gonadic index and the condition index. The study took place over an unusually long period, from March 2009 to March 2011, at a rate of one sample per month. In conclusion, given the permanent spawning activity, this area deserves further exploration in order to implement the mussel farming within.