Growth Pattern of Soft Clam (Mya arenaria oonogai) (Mollusca: Bivalvia) from a Mud Flat on the Southwest Coast of Korea

Growth pattern of the soft clam (Mya arenaria oonogei) was estimated based on samples collected from the Yeongsan River estuary on the southwest coast of Korea between August 1996 and September 1997. Mean density of the clam during study period was $55\;ind./m^2$ and varied monthly from 281 to $8\;ind./m^2.$ The clams from the study area ranged in age from one year to seven years, with shell lengths between 40.4 mm and 104.1 mm and biomass between 8.4 and 152.3 g in total wet weight. The spawing season was estimated to occur between September and October based upon a reduced fatness index, an indication of spawning, during these months. Burial depths increased with growth of the clams and most were found buried between 10 and 20 cm in the sediments. Significant relationships were found between shell length and shell height (SH), total wet weight, (TWt), meat wet weight (MWt), meat dry weight (DWt), ash free dry weight (AFDW) and burial depth. The von Bertalanffy growth equations of the clams were $L_t(mm)=138.98(1-e^{-0.1325(t+0.8853)})\;and\;W_t\;(gTWt)=325.93\;(1-e^{0.1325(t+0.8853)})^{2.6982}.$ These equations suggest that in their first year the clams should reach 31 mm in length with a biomass of 5.7 g in total wet weight.

서남해역 갯벌에 서식하는 우럭 (Mya arenaria oonogei) (Mollusca: Bivalvia)의 성장 양상