ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Evolutionary Biology, Biogeography and Species Diversity
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1602823
Species Identity and Spatial Patterns of Common Oysters at Oyster Reefs of Guangdong, China
Provisionally accepted
- 1South China Sea Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Guangzhou, China
- 2Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, SAR China
- 3South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
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As concerns mount over the threats facing oyster reefs, awareness of the need to mitigate habitat loss and restore ecosystem services is increasing. However, challenges in identifying oysters have limited our understanding of their species-and population-level diversity, complicating efforts to establish effective marine protected areas. Therefore, this study aims to address these challenges by conducting a comprehensive survey along the coastline of Guangdong Province to assess the species composition and spatial distribution of oyster reefs across 51 intertidal sites, such as estuaries, islands, oyster farms, mudflats, and mangroves. Methods: In total, we collected 742 oyster specimens by qualitative survey for oyster distribution and generated approximately 1,400 mitochondrial DNA sequences (N = 693 for 16S rRNA and N=706 for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) to support genetic analysis. More than 30000 oysters sample collected by quantitative survey were applied to analyze the oyster assemblages. Results: The analyses revealed 12 mitochondrial lineages representing three genera within the family Ostreidae. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed robust monophyletic groupings, confirming species identities and leading to the identification of two cryptic 删除了: species within the genus Saccostrea. Based on DNA evidence, these two cryptic Saccostrea species were closely related to the known S. non-mordax D and H lineages. Quantitative analysis showed that Crassostrea sikamea was the most prevalent species in the study area, with an average abundance and biomass > 1,400 individuals/m 2 and 4,449 grams/m 2 , respectively. Qualitative and quantitative assessment both revealed at least 6 species were identified at G07 (Jieyang), being the most biodiverse location of Guangdong Province. Discussion: By mapping oyster distribution and updating the species inventory, our study provides a foundation for future research on oyster populations and informs conservation efforts aimed at preserving and restoring oyster habitats, thereby supporting marine biodiversity.
Keywords: Oyster reef, Species identification, Biodiversity, Spatial pattern, cryptic species
Received: 30 Mar 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zihua, Qiu, Chen, Qiu, Zhang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jinghuai Zhang, South China Sea Environmental Monitoring Center, State Oceanic Administration, Guangzhou, 510310, China
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