Fungal assemblages associated with commercial bivalve species in coastal waters of the Sea of Japan, Russia

Abstract

Abstract A mycological study of three major commercial bivalve species, Yesso scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis, Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, and bay mussel Mytilus trossulus, from the coastal waters off Rikord Island (Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan) has been conducted. A total of 52 species of filamentous fungi from 19 genera of ascomycetes (and their anamorphic stages) and zygomycetes were isolated from shells and internal organs of the examined bivalves. Thirty-eight species (18 genera) of filamentous fungi were isolated from Yesso scallop, 21 species (eight genera) from Pacific oyster and 10 species (seven genera) from bay mussel. The studied bivalves showed a low degree of similarity in the diversity of the filamentous fungi. The identified filamentous fungi of the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Chaetomium, etc. belong to a group of opportunistically pathogenic and toxigenic microorganisms that can cause mycoses and mycotoxicoses in aquatic animals.