Pinna nobilis, a large Mediterranean clam vital to the marine ecosystem, is on the brink of extinction due to a deadly parasite. In Croatia, a team of scientists is attempting something never achieved before — to breed and reproduce the Noble Pen Shell under controlled conditions and give this species a chance to survive

Neum

The noble pen shell, Pina nobilis, is facing near extinction in the Adriatic Sea due to mass mortality caused by the parasite Haplosporidium pina. First detected off Spain, the parasite has spread throughout the Mediterranean, leaving only a few surviving individuals. In response, scientists at the Pula Aquarium in Croatia have begun an unprecedented effort to breed the species in captivity, providing carefully controlled environments and food to support the remaining pen shells.

With natural reproduction now nearly impossible due to the sparse population, these breeding programs may represent the species' last hope. The noble pen shell plays a vital role in marine ecosystems by filtering large volumes of water, and researchers are hopeful that their work will eventually allow for the release of resistant individuals back into the wild, ensuring the species' survival for future generations.

Saving the Noble Pen Shell: Croatia's marine rescue effort

The Adriatic Sea is renowned for its crystal-clear waters and rich biodiversity. Yet, as part of the Greater Mediterranean, it has not been spared from the catastrophic mass die-off of the noble pen shell, Pina nobilis, now teetering on the brink of extinction. Diver Ante Johnno is very familiar with the bays and underwater landscapes near Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In past years, the seabed was dotted with countless pen shells. Today, almost none remain. Mass mortality among noble pen shells is caused by the parasite Haplosporidium pina. First detected in 2016 off the coast of Spain, it quickly spread throughout the Mediterranean. Countless empty shells scattered across the seabed now mark a species on the brink of extinction. Yet, there is hope. At the Pula Aquarium in neighbouring Croatia, a team of scientists is working tirelessly to protect this endangered clam, which has been placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. These seawater tanks contain some of the last surviving Pina nobilis specimens found in the Adriatic. And you can see there's a lot of faces if you want to. So that means that they are healthy. So I'm just going to give a little food. Six noble pen shells from the Venetian lagoon have been brought to these tanks. Inside these tanks, scientists cultivate plankton, microscopic organisms that drift in water, under strictly controlled conditions to provide food for the pen shells. The seawater, filtered multiple times, is continuously monitored to ensure that the surviving individuals remain safe and healthy. Because the noble pen shell has never been commercially exploited, no previous attempts have been made to breed it in captivity. Much about its biology remains a mystery. What these scientists are attempting has never been done before. To breed the species through every stage of its life cycle, from larvae through juvenile to adult. Noble pen shells are filter feeders that play a vital role in maintaining the cleanliness and balance of marine habitats. Each individual can filter up to 60 litres of water per hour, around 1,500 litres a day. This remarkable capacity makes them essential for the health of the ecosystem. In the Croatian waters of the Adriatic, only about 20 noble pen shells remain alive. Separated by long distances, natural reproduction has become almost impossible. That's why the breeding efforts in these tanks may represent the species of the world's largest pen shell. The pen shell is the largest pen shell in the world. It is the largest pen shell in the world. It is the largest pen shell in the world. These pen shells may represent the species' last real chance for survival. I hope that one day we can release some resistant new baby pen shells to the sea. We'll be grateful that the generations that will be behind us will be able to see these important species. These scientists are in a race against time. They know this may be the last opportunity to save the noble pen shell. Yet they remain hopeful that this remarkable clam will once again thrive on the seabeds of the Mediterranean.

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