SEXUAL STRUCTURE OF A TRIDACNA SQUAMOSA POPULATION: RELATIVE ADVANTAGES OF SEQUENTIAL AND SIMULTANEOUS HERMAPHRODITISM

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Abstract
The sexual structure of a Tridacna squamosa population from the South China Sea was analysed. From a study of smears and slides of gonads of 54 clams, 24 of the smallest and youngest individuals of 0.1–1.8 kg gross body weight were found to be phenotypic males, 28 of the larger individuals of 0.9–9.2 kg gross weight were simultaneous functional hermaphrodites. The relative proportion of the female part increased with age and growth in the gonad of hermaphrodites, and in the two largest individuals, of 10.5 and 13 kg gross weight, pure female acini were observed. The population had a pronounced size/age structure. The soft-body weight of the largest and oldest individuals was 100–150 times that of the smallest and youngest ones. The population was also of low density, with 1 individual per 40–50 m2. These are the suggested reasons for the fusion of sequential and simultaneous hermaphroditism in the sexual development of T. squamosa.

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