THE REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE INTERTIDAL PROSOBRANCH THAIS LAMELLOSA (GMELIN). II. SEASONAL CHANGES IN BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION

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Abstract
1. Seasonal changes in protein, lipid and polysaccharide level and content were studied in several body components of Thais lamellosa. Male soft body components consisted of the visceral mass, including the testis-digestive gland and remaining visceral mass, and the foot. Female soft body components consisted of the visceral mass, including the ovary-digestive gland, capsule-albumin gland, and remaining visceral mass, and the foot.2. Seasonal changes in protein, lipid and polysaccharide content in body components, except the foot, were predominantly due to changes in indexes and not biochemical level. The foot was not important as a depot for any of the biochemical constituents. Protein was the dominant constituent in the visceral mass, lipid was intermediate in level and content and polysaccharide level and content were lowest.3. The gonad-digestive gland complex was a lipid depot for both sexes. No other body component of either sex served as a lipid depot.4. The ovary-digestive gland lipid content was at its maximum value in September but the capsule-albumin gland protein content did not reach its maximum value until December when it was 2.3 times the September value. The accessory reproductive tract reaches its maximum size just prior to capsule deposition.5. The ratio of protein:lipid:polysaccharide content lost from the female visceral mass during aggregation was 18.3:2.3:1.0. Protein loss was split evenly between female catabolism and egg capsule production. Lipid loss went entirely to egg capsule production. Polysaccharide loss was split between female catabolism and egg capsule production.6. Individuals interested in the efficiency of alternate reproductive strategies must consider the costs of aggregation and capsule wall deposition to species utilizing this type of strategy. Energetic costs of aggregation, starvation and production of encapsulated embryos are just as high as costs involved in broadcast fertilization among molluscs.

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