• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2016

Growth-line analysis was carried out on 80 hard clam (Meretrix petechialis) from the Neolithic Age Eurwang-dong Shell Midden, Incheon, Korea, to determine the seasonality of shellfish collection and site occupation. Growth increments and the marginal index (MI) of the specimens were examined. And then the marginal index was compared to the monthly MI of modern specimens under the assumption that the growth pattern was the same as it is today. MI of the archaeological specimens ranged from 0.12 to 1.55 and was divided into four categories: < 0.63, spring; 0.63-0.76, summer; 0.76-0.89, fall; $${\geq}_-0.89$$, winter collection. As a result, 57 specimens (71.25%) of 80 specimens represented spring, 8 (10.0%) summer, 3 (3.75%) fall and 12 (15.0%) winter collection. The result indicates that shellfish could be collected year-round at the site with an emphasis on spring. Based on the size distribution of shells and the content of the midden, however, it seems that the midden site was not occupied permanently throughout the year but was used repeatedly but temporally for shellfish gathering and processing.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2011

The investigated amounts according to microalgae for stable supply of artificial seed of the hard clam, Meretrix petechialis and also observed the effect according to the repower of the microalgae after the specified period starvation. The stage of specimen used in the test was the D-shaped larva. The microalgae was Chaetoceros calcitrans, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloris oculata. When the mixture of Chaetoceros calcitrans, Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloris oculata or alone C. calcitrans as food was supplied with 3,000-5,000 cells/ind., it turned to be the most effective. When the food was provided after starvation for some period, the shell length of D-shaped larva was grown to over $192.5{\mu}m$ at fourth day from the initial feeding. The survival rate tended to be lower, the longer the starvation period.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2006

Gonad index, spermatogenesis and the reproductive cycle of Meretrix petechialis were investigated by cytological, histological observations. Monthly changes in the gonad index coincides the gonadal development. The morphology of the spermatozoon had a primitive type and is similar to that of other bivalves having a short mid-piece with five to six mitochondria surrounding the centrioles. The morphology of the sperm nucleus type and the acrosome shape of this species were cylindrical type and cap-like shape, respectively. The spermatozoon was approximately 40-45 ${\mu}m$ in length including the sperm nucleus length (about 1.50 ${\mu}m$), acrosome length (0.60 ${\mu}m$) and tail flagellum. The axoneme of the tail flagellum consisted of nine pairs of microtubules at the periphery and a pair at the center. The axoneme of the sperm tail showed 9 + 2 microtubular arrangement. The spawning period was from June to September and the main spawning occurred from July to August when seawater temperatures were higher than $20^{\circ}C$. The reproductive cycle of this species could be categorized into five successive stages: early active stage (February to March), late active stage (February to May), ripe stage (April to July), partially spawned stage (June to September), and spent/inactive stage (September to February).

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.167-173
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• 2011

This study was performed to describe the effect of water temperature, salinity and density on the eggs development of the hard clam, Meretrix petechialis. Eggs of Meretrix petechialis were turned out to be demersal isolated eggs of $82.3-86.1{\mu}m$ in an average diameter after spawning. The hatching rate of D-shaped larvae by elapsed time after spawning was the highest in fertilization immediately after spawning and distinguished decrease from 1 hour of spawning. The optimum water temperature for development of D-shaped larvae from fertilization was ranged between $25^{\circ}C$ to $27^{\circ}C$. However, D-shaped larvae was not developed at $33^{\circ}C$ of water temperature. The required time from fertilization to D-shaped larvae were 37.3 hours in $20^{\circ}C$, 20.8 hours in $25^{\circ}C$, and 15.3 hours in $30^{\circ}C$. Biological minimum temperature for the egg development was estimated to be $12.4^{\circ}C$ in average. The range of salinity for the development of eggs were 20.0-37.5 psu, optimum range was estimated to be 27.5-32.5 psu.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.205-217
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• 2012

The ovarian cycle, the biological minimum size, and artificial spawning frequency by artificial spawning induction of the female hard clam, Meretrix petechialis, were investigated by histological observations and morphometric data. The ovarian cycle of this species can be classified into five successive stages: early active stage, late active stage, ripe stage, partially spawned stage, and spent/inactive stage. The spawning period was from June to September, and the main spawning occurred between July and August when the seawater temperature exceeds over $20^{\circ}C$. The biological minimum size (shell length at 50% of first sexual maturity) in females were 40.39 mm in shell length (considered to be two years of age), and all clams over 50.1 mm in shell length sexually matured. In this study, the mean number of the spawned eggs by spawning induction increased with the increase of size (shell length) classes. In case of artificial spawning induction for the clams > 40.39 mm, the number of spawned eggs from the clams of a sized class was gradually decreased with the increase of the number of the spawning frequencies (the first, second, and third spawning). In the experiments of artificial spawning induction during the spawning season, the interval of each spawning of this species was estimated to be 15-18 days (approximately 17 days).

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2013

In this study, growth-line analysis was carried out on the hard clam (Meretrix petechialis) collected from the Neolithic shell middens in Daejuk-ri, Seosan, Korea, to reconstruct palaeoenvironment. Growth increments of 206 specimens of the clam were examined. The ages of the specimens were determined from the rings on the shells. The relationship between shell length and ring radius in each ring group was expressed as a regression line, indicating a correspondence in each ring formation. Growth pattern of the midden specimens was compared to that of modern ones collected from Gimje, Jeonbuk. Growth curves for shell length fitted to the von Berta anffy's growth curve were expressed respectively as follows: $SL_t=102.9025[1-e^{-0.18657(t+1.0906)}]$ in the shell midden specimens, $SL_t=104.2583[1-e^{-0.2277(t+0.7499)}]$ in the modern ones. The relationship between shell length (SL; mm) and shell height (SH; mm) was expressed by the following equations: SH = 0.7791 SL + 3.6636 ($R^2$ = 0.946) in the midden specimens, SH = 0.8103 SL + 0.5145 ($R^2$ = 0.991) in the modern ones. The results of the tests regarding the differences between regression coefficients and elevations of growth curves of these two populations demonstrate that the slopes were not significantly different (p < 0.05), but the elevations were (p > 0.05). However, overall growth curves of the midden and modern populations were not significantly different, indicating that shell growth environments of the two areas are similar. Therefore, it is likely that sea temperature near the midden area could be similar to that of present Gimje area, and thus temperature during the period of the midden formation could be higher than presently known.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.313-319
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• 2012

Mass production method on artificial seedling production of hard clam Meretrix petechialis was developed indoor culture system. Spawning of adult clam (SL $65.8{\pm}8.4mm$) was induced using the combined method of air exposure and water temperature raising. The fertilized eggs were developed to D-shaped larvae after 17.7 hours at $27^{\circ}C$ and hatching rate was 6.1%. Shell length (SL) of D-shaped larvae was measured to be $131.4{\pm}2.6{\mu}m$ and thereafter the larvae grew to the settled spats with SL $190.2{\pm}7.5{\mu}m$ in 4 days. Estimated survival rate of settled spats was 48.1%. Spat collection on 130,000 spats with SL $0.19{\pm}0.01mm$ performed conducted by sand bottom circulation filtering method. Collected spats grew up to $3.1{\pm}0.8mm$ in 46 days, $6.6{\pm}1.8mm$ in 87 days, and $10.5{\pm}0.9mm$ in 114 days. The relative growth between SL and shell height (SH) was calculated to be SH = 0.8501SL + 0.0196 ($R^2=0.9987$) during the whole spat period. During spats rearing, they were suffered from one time of mass mortality at SL 3.1 mm, but 51,000 spats were finally survived with the rate of 39.2% at 114 days of spat rearing in indoor tank system.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2012

The study describes growth and survival on different kinds of sediment improvements of early spats of the hard clam, Meretrix petechialis. Specimens of the mature hard clam were collected in the intertidal zone of Yeonggwang, Korea, July 2011. After transportation, early spats(shell length $196{\pm}14{\mu}m$) collected in mature hard clam were used. Experiment period were July 7 to August 6 in 2011 (30 days). Sediment improvements used iodine(10 ppm), hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$, 5 ppm), sodium hypochlorite (NaClO, 100 ppm), chlorine dioxide($ClO_2$, 100 ppm) and potassium permanganate ($KMnO_4$, 5 ppm). After cultured during 30 days, shell length growth of hard clam were observed $1.04{\pm}0.26mm$ in sodium hypochlorite 100 ppm, $1.03{\pm}0.25mm$ in chlorine dioxide 100 ppm and $1.01{\pm}0.28mm$ in iodine 10 ppm. Survival rate were 31.4% in chlorine dioxide 100 ppm, 12.1% in sodium hypochlorite 100 ppm, 11.6% in iodine 10 ppm, 1.5% in hydrogen peroxide 5 ppm and 0% in potassium permanganate 5 ppm.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2013

In this study, growth-line analysis was carried out on the hard clam (Meretrix petechialis) recovered from the Neolithic Age Daejuk-ri Shell Middens, Seosan, Korea, with aim to determine the seasonality of shellfish collection and site occupation. Growth increments of 206 specimens of the clam were examined. The marginal index (MI) of the archaeological specimens was calculated and was compared to the monthly marginal index of modern specimens under the assumption that the growth pattern was the same as it is today. MI of the archaeological specimens ranged from 0.13 to 1.29 and was divided into four categories: < 0.63, spring; 0.63-0.76, summer; 0.76-0.89, fall; $$\geq_-$$ 0.89, winter collection. As a result, of 206 specimens, 170 specimens (82.5%) represented spring, 18 (8.7%) summer, 10 (4.9%) fall and 8 (3.9%) winter collection. The results suggest year-round shellfish collection at the sites, with an emphasis on spring. Considering these results it can be inferred that the sites were occupied throughout the year.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.70-71
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• 2005