REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THE SURF CLAM, SPISULA SOLIDISSIMA, IN OFFSHORE NEW JERSEY

Abstract

1. A biannual reproductive cycle was observed in Spisula solidissima gonads during 3 of the 4 years in which samples were taken from offshore New Jersey. 2. The biannual cycle was characterized by a major mid-year spawning and minor late-year spawning. A second annual reproductive cycle may be neither typical for surf clams throughout their geographical range nor always an annual event in clams from New Jersey. 3. A delayed spawning and single annual cycle in 1965 was related to colder environmental temperatures than were observed in the three earlier years of the study. 4. Abrupt temperature changes were not clearly a cause of spawning in the natural populations of surf clams. Partially spawned clams were found in the samples in advance of abrupt temperature changes. Temperature, however, clearly delays or hastens the gametogenic cycle and stimulates spawning of ripe surf clams in the laboratory.