Post-settlement viability in the American oyster (<i>Crassostrea virginica</i>): an overdominant phenotype

Abstract

SUMMARY The degree of heterozygosity as determined by electrophoretic analysis of three or four polymorphic loci correlates positively with survival in age groups of the American oyster ( Crassostrea virginica ) collected as spat from two different natural populations. The phenomenon is shown to operate in ages from 2 weeks (post-settlement) to 3 years and appears to be general in populations of marine molluscs. The most likely explanation for this result is that heterozygosity improves survival through its effect on growth (heterozygotes grow faster). The effects of individual loci on viability are independent of each other. A direct involvement of the enzyme polymorphisms is the most probable genetic interpretation of the data, but associative overdominance cannot be excluded.