Abstract

Scallop aquaculture has a 20-y-old history in Coquimbo, Chile. At the beginning develop and introduce on industrial level the culture techniques was the main goal, but in recent years research to improve the broodstock quality has been introduced. Development of non destructive procedures to determine gonadal ripeness were necessary. The use of magnetic resonance imaging proved to be an interesting tool to view the internal anatomy of the Chilean scallop Argopecten purpuratus (Lamarck 1819) without any harmful side effect. A central groove located in the middle of the adductor muscle, became visible using MRI, and could possibly be related to the haemolymphatic circulation system.