BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2026, Vol. 52, No. 3, pp. 202-213 |
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The Influence of Habitat Conditions on Growth Rates and Shell Shape of Mya japonica Jay, 1857 (Bivalvia: Myidae) in Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russian Federation E-mail: The characteristics of group linear growth of the common commercial bivalve mollusk Mya japonica are studied in relationship with habitat conditions in the shallow waters of Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. Mya japonica grows most rapidly in the first 3-4 years of its life, when the annual shell length increase is, on average, from 10 to 23 mm. By the age of 10 yr, the increase does not exceed 3 mm per year, and after the age of 15 yr, it is about 1 mm per year. Mollusks reach the commercial size (shell length of 80 mm) at 3-11 years of age, with an average body weight from 69 to 89 g. The estimated value of the maximum length L∞ in the Von Bertalanffy equation ranges from 96.8 to 109.3 mm. The shell shape of M. japonica is largely determined by its growth rates. A rough, convex shell with a centrally positioned umbo is characteristic of slow-growing mollusks from areas with gravel-pebble substrates and active hydrodynamics. A smooth, flattened shell, elongated in the posterior part is common for fast-growing individuals from beds in soft, sandy sediments. Key words: bivalve Mya japonica, habitus, group linear growth, microspatial variability, Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. |
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