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孔祥福，等 水产学报, 2025, 49(5): 059606

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Rapid identification of scallop gender and gonadal maturity using endoscopy

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KONG Xiangfu , LIANG Haoying , HUANG Shanhuan , BAO Zhenmin 1,2,3 , HU Xiaoli 1,2*
1. Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, Ministry of Education,
College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
2. Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes,
Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China;
3. Laboratary of Tropical Marine Germplasm Resources and Breeding Engineering,
Sanya Oceanographic Institution, Ocean University of China, Sanya 572000, China

Abstract: Scallops are an important cultured bivalve species in China. Prior to artificial reproduction, it is essential to segreg-
ate male and female parent scallops and monitor gonadal development to determine the optimal timing for seedling production.
Currently, scallop gender and gonad maturity were assessed in vivo by stimulating the soft tissues with foreign body or by dry-
ing in the shade to induce shell opening, followed by visual inspection of gonad color. These traditional methods were time-
consuming and conducted out of water, which can lead to stress-induced mortality of parent scallops and compromised control
over seedling production. In this study, we employed a novel endoscopic approach to identify scallop gender and gonadal
maturity. This method relies on the coloration of gonads captured in images obtained via a probe inserted through the byssus
orifice between the shells. Our results demonstrated that scallop gonad color and gender could be clearly visualized using the
endoscope without direct contact with the delicate soft tissues, even when the scallops remained in a closed state. The time
required for this method was approximately half that of traditional foreign body stimulation and one-quarter that of dry-in-shade
method. Moreover, the endoscope could capture clear images of scallop gonads in seawater, enabling in situ observation. This
non-invasive endoscopic technique eliminates the need to induce shell opening, allowing for accurate and rapid gonad observa-
tion and gender identification, thereby enhancing the efficiency of scallop breeding.

Key words: scallops; gender identification; observation of gonads; endoscopy
Corresponding author: HU Xiaoli. E-mail: hxl707@ouc.edu.cn
Funding projects: National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFD2400303); Key R & D Program of
Shandong Province, China (2022TZXD003)

https://www.china-fishery.cn 中国水产学会主办 sponsored by China Society of Fisheries
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