ISSN : 1225-3480
A comparative analysis of size and age structures of coastal subfossil shell assemblages of the shortnecked clam Ruditapes philippinarum from open and protected bays of Cheju Island (Korea) was carried out. On the whole, taking into account the damage of small fragile shells, size and age structures of the shell assemblages corresponded to the classical curve of bivalve population distribution when its mortality diminishes with age increase up to a certain threshold. It was found that shell samples from open bays of the western, southern and eastern coasts included shells of smaller and younger individuals (L ≤ 40 mm, ≤ 4 years) than samples from the eastern protected bay (L ≤ 54.5 ㎜, ≤ 6 years). Evidently, strong wave activity was the reason for a short life-span of the clams from the open areas. Growth was investigated retrospectively by annual growth rings on the shells. Growth rates of the clams from the various coasts of Cheju Island differed. However, growth rates of the clams from different biotopes at the same (eastern) side of the Island were similar. Shell height/length and width/length ratios statistically significantly increased with the clam age increase. Most likely, the reason for such shell shape alteration is that more conglobated individuals more survive being more energy-optimal than oblong specimens.
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