BIVALVEPI

Investigations of Noble Pen Shell (Pinna nobilis) Mass Mortality Events

Mass Mortality Events (MMEs) affected noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis), the largest native bivalve in the Mediterranean Sea, causing its near-extinction since 2016. A proper diagnosis is the primary tool to support authorities in regulatory actions to prevent, manage or eradicate/control the disease outbreak. The diagnostic process usually requires the expertise of veterinary and para-veterinary pathologists, who could simultaneously evaluate all known factors, from clinical signs to environmental conditions.

In this context, our Chair is supporting the urgent need for the scientific and environmental protection community to arrive to a consensus on research approach and conservation priorities. Therefore, it is the intention of multiple international collaborators to approach the growing body of science-based clinical, diagnostics and laboratory evidence to support the evidence that P. nobilis MMEs are caused by a complex pathogenesis elicited by poly-microbial infections in conjunction with abiotic factors. This approach should pose the basis for establishing a broad foundation for future studies, aimed at preserving endangered populations of native bivalves.

Primary contact for this project are Prof. Palić  and collaborators Profs. Carella and De Vico from University of Naples, as well as Profs. Šarić and Župan from University of Zadar.