CRYOPRESERVATION OF SPERMATOZOA OF THE AMERICAN OYSTER, CRASSOSTREA-VIRGINICA GMELIN

Spermatozoa of the American oyster Crassostrea virginica were frozen to -196 °C in concentrated Hanks' salt solution (2.6×) containing 8% dimethyl sulfoxide. About 0.2 ml of spermatozoa that were stored in liquid nitrogen for 68 days fertilized 91% of 65,600 eggs compared to fresh spermatozoa, which fertilized 92% of approximately the same number of eggs from the same females. Larvae resulting from fertilization of fresh eggs with 39-day-old cryopreserved spermatozoa appeared normal after 11 days. © 1979.