Predators, Diseases and Pests
Oyster predators include starfish, oyster drill snails, stingrays, Florida stone crabs, birds, such as oystercatchers, gulls, and humans.
Diseases that can affect either farmed C. virginica or C. gigas oysters include Perkinsus marinus (Dermo) and Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX). However, C. viginicus are much more susceptible to Dermo or MSX infections than are the C. gigas species of oyster. Pathogens of O. edulis oysters include Marteilia refringens and Bonamia ostreae. In the north Atlantic Ocean, oyster crabs may live in an endosymbiotic commensal relationship within a host oyster. Since oyster crabs are considered a food delicacy they may not be removed from young farmed oysters, as they can themselves be harvested for sale.
Polydorid polychaetes are known as pests of cultured oysters.
Read more about this topic: Oyster Farming
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