Age and Growth of the Hard Clam, Meretrix lusoria (Bivalvia: Veneridae) on the West Coast of Korea

한국 서해산 백합, Meretrix lusoria의 연령과 성장

Samples of Meretrix lusoria were collected monthly from the tidal flat of Simpo, Puan-gun, Chollabuk-do, west coast of Korea from April 2004 to March 2005. Age of M. lusoria was determined from the rings on the shell. The relationship between shell length and ring radius in each ring group was expressed as a regression line. Therefore, there is a correspondence in each ring formation. Based on the monthly variations in the marginal index (MI') of the shell, it is assumed that the ring of this species was formed once a year during the period of February to April. The relationship between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH; mm) was highly correlated with shell height as the following equation: SH = 0.8103 SL + 0.5145 $(r^2=0.991)$. The shell length (SL) - shell width (SW) relation was also expressed by the following equation: SW = 0.4897 SL + 0.0315 $(r^2=0.976)$. Shell length (SL; mm) and total weight (TW; g) was expressed by the following equation: $TW=2.9195\times10^{-4}\;SL^{2.9547}\;(R^2=0.991)$. Shell length (SL) and shell height (SH; mm) was highly correlated with shell height as the following equation: $SH=0.8103\;SL+0.5145\;(R^2=0.991)$ The shell length (SL) - shell width (SW) relation was also expressed by the following equation: $SW=0.4897\;SL+0.0315\;(R^2=0.976)$. Growth curves for shell length and total weight fitted to the von Bertalanffy's growth curve were expressed respectively as: $SL_t=104.9[l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)}],\;TW_t=280.8[l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)}]^{2.9547}$.

2004년 4월부터 2005년 3월까지 전라북도 김제시 심포면 갯벌에 서식하는 백합의 연령과 성장을 조사하였다. 백합의 패각에 나타나는 윤문은 년 1회 형성되며, 주된 윤문 형성시기는 2월$\sim$4월임을 확인할 수 있었다. 초륜의 형성기간은 약 6개월(0.5년)로 나타났으며, 각장(SL)과 각고(SH)간의 관계는 SH=0.8103 SL + 0.5145$(R^2=0.991)$이고, 각장과 각폭(SW)간의 관계는 SW=0.4897 SL + 0.0315 $(R^2=0.976)$이며, 각장과 전중량(TW)간의 관계는 $TW=2.9195\times10^{-4}\;SL^{2.9547}\;(R^2=0.991)$로 나타났다. 연령 (t)에 대한 각장(SL)의 Bertalanffy 성장식은 $SL_t=104.9(l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)})$였으며, 전중량(TW)의 Bertalanffy 성장식은 $TW_t=280.8(l-e^{-0.2235(t+0.7677)})^{2.9547}$로 추정되었다.