The burrowing behavior, growth, and size-dependent burrowing rates of two geoduck species—Panopea globosa and Panopea generosa—from the Mexican coast were assessed during early juvenile development (6–7 mo) using 30-L aquariums with a muddy or sandy sediment substrate. Preburial response time, digging rates, and growth were recorded monthly for organisms with an initial shell length of 5 mm (P. globosa) or 10mm (P. generosa), and continued for 6 or 7 mo. Organisms were fed Isochrysis sp. (clone T-ISO) at libitum on a daily basis during the experimental period. Digging behaviors included the inflation of the geoduck siphon, followed by expulsion of a water jet through the pedal orifice, in conjunction with coordinated muscular contractions of the foot. Both species exhibited a lag in their burial response time that was related linearly to shell length, with rates of 4.5 min/mm (P. globosa) and 3.4 min/mm (P. generosa). Burrowing rates were independent of shell length and were similar in both species (∼0.9–1.4 mm/min) for a size range of 7–36 mm, but were slower in 5-mm seed (0.4 mm/min). Shell growth rate increased linearly with time and was faster in P. globosa (162 µm/day) than P. generosa (61 µm/day). These results suggest that short-term temporary enclosures may be useful for restocking natural populations of geoducks with laboratory-produced seed, at a size as small as 7 mm.
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1 March 2015
Growth and Burrowing Rates of Juvenile Geoducks Panopea generosa and Panopea globosa under Laboratory Conditions
Sandra Tapia-Morales,
Zaul García-Esquivel,
Brent Vadopalas,
Jonathan Davis
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Journal of Shellfish Research
Vol. 34 • No. 1
March 2015
Vol. 34 • No. 1
March 2015
burrowing rates
geoduck
growth
juvenile
Panopea generosa
Panopea globosa