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Abalones are a family of snails. They are mostly found in warm waters and can grow to the size of your hand. Researchers have now found something to help this endangered species.
Attempts have been made for some time to increase the population of these huge sea snails by breeding them. But it is not an easy task. It is difficult to determine if an abalone is ready to breed. To find out, the clingy animals have to be ripped out of their place and it’s actually far too stressful for them.
California researchers have found something for this: an ultrasound instrument that looks like a wand. They followed abalones in captivity for several weeks to see if the instrument could detect changes in their gonads that revealed something about fertility.
Indeed, they managed to detect small changes just before and after the spawning period. In addition, the animal could simply remain in place underwater and the instrument is held outside the water bowl. This makes a significant difference in the number of times the abalone needs to be picked up by hand. Something that hopefully contributes to the survival of the animal that plays an important role in marine ecosystems.
Read more: Abalone Ultrasound†
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