Application of Hemolymph Smear Histology Diagnosis to Detect Disseminated Neoplasia in Basket Cockles (Clinocardium nuttallii)

Disseminated neoplasia (DN) is a form of cancer in bivalve molluscs that can be transmissible between individuals and in some cases across species. Neoplastic cells are highly proliferative, and infection is usually lethal. Commercially valuable bivalve species (mussels, cockles, softshell clams, and oysters) are affected by outbreaks of DN, making disease diagnosis and mitigation an important issue in ecological restoration efforts and aquaculture. Basket cockles (Clinocardium nuttallii) are native to the North American Pacific coast from California to Alaska. Recent concern from some Coast Salish Tribes regarding an observed long-term decline in basket cockle populations in Puget Sound, WA has increased interest in monitoring efforts and subsequent collection for aquarium-reared broodstock. Disseminated neoplasia was detected in Puget Sound basket cockle populations, delaying aquaculture efforts so that potential broodstock could be assessed for the presence of DN. This study details a minimally invasive, inexpensive, nonlethal method for high-throughput screening for DN in adult basket cockles. The hemolymph smear screening method to diagnose DN in C. nuttallii can be applied at field sites at low financial cost. Results of the hemolymph smear technique were validated against whole tissue histology, the standard method for DN diagnosis. Due to the similar cellular morphologies of DN in different bivalve species, it is proposed that hemolymph histology can likely be applied for diagnosing DN in other bivalves.