Reproductive Cycle of Sulf clam, Coecella chinensis (Mesodesmatidae: Bivalvia)

The reproductive cycle, gonad index, condition index, and the sex ratio in female and male Coecella chinensis, which were collected from the coastal waters of Namhae, the South Coast of Korea, were investigated by histological analysis and morphometric data. Monthly variations of the gonad index and condition index of this species showed similar patterns to that of the reproductive cycle. The reproductive cycle in female and male C. chinensis can be classified into six successive stages: early active stage (April), late active stage (May), ripe stage (June), partially spawned/spent stage (June to August), degeneration stage (August) and inactive stage (September to March). According to monthly changes in relative frequency distributions of ovarian egg diameters of this species, in particular, a number of ripe eggs ranging about 70 ${\mu}m$ appear in June, however, in July and August, although the mode of egg diameters ranging about 50 ${\mu}m$ appear about 80%, these ripe eggs ranging from 60 ${\mu}m$ to 70 ${\mu}m$ are gradually decreased during the period from June to August. Therefore, the spawning period of this species is continued from June to August with a peak between July and August when the seawater temperature exceeds about $24.5^{\circ}C$. The sex ratio of female and male individuals was not significantly different from 1:1 (${\chi}^2$=1.20, p>0.05). No hermaphrodites were found.

퇴조개, Coecella chinensis (Mesodesmatidae: Bivalvia)의 생식주기

한국 남해안 남해 연안에서 채집한 퇴조개 (Coecella chinensis) 를 대상으로 생식주기, 생식소지수, 비만도지수 및 성비를 조직학적 분석 및 형태 계량학적 자료에 의해 조사하였다. 생식소지수 및 비만도지수의 월별 변화는 생식주기의 월별 변화와 유사한 양상을 보였다. 암컷과 수컷 퇴조개의 생식주기는 초기활성기 (4월), 후기활성기 (5월), 완숙기 (6월), 부분산란기/방정기 (6-8월), 퇴화기 (8월) 및 비활성기 (9-3월) 의 연속적인 6기 (stages) 로 구분할 수 있었다. 본 종의 산란기는 6-8월 이었으나, 주산란기는 수온이 약 $24.5^{\circ}C$인 7-8월이었다. 난경모드 조사에서, 6월에는 특히 70 ${\mu}m$ 정도의 난모세포가 다수 출현하였으나, 7-8월에는 평균 50 ${\mu}m$ 전후의 난모세포가 약 80% 정도 출현하는 대신, 60-70 ${\mu}m$ 전후의 완숙 난모세포는 감소하였다. 암 수 개체들의 성비는 1:1로 유의하게 다르지 않았으며 (${\chi}^2$=1.20, p>0.05), 자웅동체는 발견되지 않았다.