Condition index, meat yield and reproductive cycle of smooth donax, Donax variegatus (Donacidae, Gmelin 1791) in the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

Donax variegatus (Gmelin, 1791) is a small tiny marine bivalve mollusc which is naturally spreaded out in the sandy shores of the Aegean Sea. Although it has recently being used in biomarker studies, there is lack of knowledge on the reproductive cycle of this species. The goal of this study was to evaluate meat yield, condition index, gonad index, gametogenic cycle of Donax variegatus. Donax variegatus specimens were collected monthly between March 2016 and February 2017from the sandy shore of İzmir coast which is located in the Aegean Sea in Eastern Mediterranean. Flesh and gonad tissues were dissected to evaluate condition index, meat yield and histological gonad analysis. Meat yield peaked in April (22.10%) and remained high throughout winter. The condition index rate was the highest in December (20.40%) and April (22.74%) and lowest in October (4.30%). It was observed that gametogenetic activity is synchronized throughout the year for both female and male individuals and spawning has peaked while the water temperature was ranging between 24,1 °C (May) and 28,3 °C (September). It was determined that abiotic factors such as water temperature and nutrient amount, affects gametogenetic activity and morphological indexes (p<0.05).

Keywords

• smooth donax
• Donax variegatus
• gametogenic cycle
• condition index
• bivalve
• Mediterranean

Küçük şırlan’ın (Donax variegatus, Donacidae, Gmelin 1791) doğu Akdenizde kondisyon indeksi, et verimi ve üreme döngüsü

Abstract

Donax variegatus (Gmelin, 1791) Ege ve Akdeniz’de kumlu kıyılarda doğal olarak yayılım gösteren küçük bir çift kabuklu yumuşakçadır. Son zamanlarda biyobelirteç çalışmalarında kullanılmasına rağmen, literatürde bu türün üreme döngüsü hakkında bilgi eksikliği bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı Donax variegatus'un et verimi, kondisyon indeksi, gonad indeksi ve gametojenik döngüsününün belirlenmesidir. Donax variegatus örnekleri Mart 2016-Şubat 2017 tarihleri arasında Ege Denizi'nde yer alan İzmir ili sahilinin kumlu kıyılarından aylık olarak toplanmıştır. Et ve gonad dokuları kondisyon indeksi, et verimi ve histolojik gonad analizini değerlendirmek için disekte edilmiştir. Et verimi Nisan ayında en yüksek değere ulaşmış (%22,10) ve kış boyunca yüksek seyretmiştir. Kondisyon indeksi oranı Aralık (%20,40) ve Nisan (%22,74) aylarında en yüksek, Ekim (%4,30) ayında ise en düşüktür. Gametogenik aktivitenin hem dişi hem de erkek bireyler için yıl boyunca senkronize olduğu ve yumurtlamanın su sıcaklığı 24,1 °C (Mayıs) ile 28,3 °C (Eylül) arasında değişirken pik yaptığı gözlemlenmiştir. Su sıcaklığı ve besin miktarı gibi abiyotik faktörlerin gametogenik aktivite ve morfolojik indeksleri etkilediği belirlenmiştir (p<0.05).

Keywords

• küçük şırlan
• Donax variegatus
• üreme döngüsü
• kondisyon indeksi
• çift kabuklu
• Akdeniz

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