Influences of Substrate Grain Size on the Burrowing Behavior of Juvenile Meretrix meretrix

Abstract

The substrate is the key environmental factor that affects the growth, survival, population and distribution of dwelling mollusks in mudflat settings. To clarify the effect of the substrate grain size on soft substrate preference, burrowing ability and behavior during the selection process of juvenile Meretrix meretrix, four different grain size substrates (coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand, and natural substrate) were set up for comparison. The results indicated that: (1) the burrowing ability of juvenile specimens in fine sand was the strongest; (2) the degree (from high to low) of the juvenile’s preference for the four substrates was in the order of fine sand > natural substrate > medium sand > coarse sand; and (3) the selection process of the substrate by the juveniles could be divided into four stages: preparation, selection, burrowing and end stages. These stages showed the behavioral characteristics of a longer selection time and higher percentage of movement in coarse sand. Therefore, our results demonstrated that sea areas or ponds with fine sand as the main component are more suitable for stock enhancement with M. meretrix. These results provide basic data for habitat selection and suitability evaluations for the aquaculture of M. meretrix.

Short Communication: New records of Mactra clams (Bivalvia: Mactridae) from Madura Island, Indonesia

“…According to Zhang et al (2022), the substrate is the significant factor that influences the life of benthic mollusks in the mudflat. One very important factor is the substrate, which is a habitat or place to live.…”

Morphological and molecular characteristics of Donax incarnatus (Bivalvia: Donacidae) from Badur Beach, Madura Island, Indonesia based on the COX1 gene

“…One critical factor is the substrate, which provides a place for mollusks to live. Zhang et al (2022) further emphasized the importance of substrate in determining the growth, survival, population, and distribution of mollusks dwelling in mudflat environments.…”

Population Parameters of Asiatic Hard Clam, Meretrix meretrix (Bivalvia: Veneridae), in Panguil Bay, Philippines

“…The Asiatic hard clam (Meretrix meretrix) is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region (Poutiers, 1998). This clam species is an active burrower and a suspension-feeding species that grows well in intertidal areas with muddy or silty substrate types such as mangroves and estuaries (Roy, 2006;Zhang et al, 2022) making it easily accessible to glean. The clam is a commercially important species in coastal areas of South and Southeast Asia collected by artisanal fishermen either for consumption or direct selling in markets (Liu et al, 2006;Tan et al, 2017;Desrita et al, 2019).…”