Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genotype-specific growth of hard clams (genus Mercenaria) in a hybrid zone: variation among habitats

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Shell growth rate is an important component of fitness in bivalve molluscs. Using the ω parameter computed from the von Bertalanffy growth equation, we quantitatively compared rates of annual shell grwoth among the hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria, M. campechiensis, and their hybrids sampled from a variety of habitats in the Indian River lagoon, Florida, USA, a zone of species overlap and natural hybridization. Our results indicate that the classical paradigm describing hard clam growth, in which growth rate is fastest in M. campechiensis, intermediate in hybrids, and slowest in M. mercenaria is not supported in the Indian River lagoon. Instead, M. campechiensis has a growth advantage in deep-water habitats in the northern section of our study area. In the central and southern sections of our study area, hybrids have a growth advantage over M. mercenaria in shallow-water habitats, but M. mercenaria has a growth advantage over hybrids in deep-water habitats. In all other sampled habitats, either growth rate among genotype classes is equal, or M. mercenaria has a growth advantage. This complex relationship between genotype and habitat-specific growth provides a mechanism for selection to act on hard clams in the Indian River.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott RT (1974) American seashells. 2nd edn. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold WS (1984) The effects of prey size, predator size, and sediment composition on the rate of predation of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, on the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria (Linné). J exp mar Biol Ecol 80:207–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold WS, Marelli DC, Bert TM, Jones DS, Quitmyer IR (1991a) Habitat-specific growth of hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) from the Indian River, Florida. J exp mar Biol Ecol 147: 245–265

    Google Scholar 

  • Arnold WS, Marelli DC, Lund C (1991b) Suitability of the southern Indian River lagoon for hard clam (Mercenaria spp.) culture. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Aquaculture Market Development Aid Program 1989–1990. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Tallahassee, Fla

    Google Scholar 

  • Barker RM (1964) Microtextural variation in pelecypod shells. Malacologia 2:69–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Bert TM, Arnold WS (1995) An empirical test of predictions of two competing models for the maintenance and fate of hybrid zones: both models are supported in a hard clam hybrid zone. Evolution 49:276–289

    Google Scholar 

  • Bert TM, Hesselman DM, Arnold WS, Moore WS, Cruz-Lopez H, Marelli DC (1993) High frequency of gonadal neoplasia in a hard clam (Mercenaria spp.) hybrid zone. Mar Biol 117:97–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertalanffy L von (1938) A quantitative theory of organic growth. Hum Biol 10:181–213

    Google Scholar 

  • Blundon JA, Kennedy VS (1982) Mechanical and behavioral aspects of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun), predation on Chesapeake Bay bivalves. J exp mar Biol Ecol 65:47–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricelj VM, Malouf RE (1980) Aspects of reproduction of hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) in Great South Bay, New York. Proc natn Shellfish Ass 70:216–229

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricelj VM, Malouf RE (1984) Influence of algal and suspended sediment concentrations on the feeding physiology of the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria. Mar Biol 84:155–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricelj VM, Malouf RE, de Quillfeldt C (1984) Growth of juvenile Mercenaria mercenaria and the effect of resuspended bottom sediments. Mar Biol 84:167–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Chestnut AF, Fahy WE, Porter HJ (1956) Growth of young Venus mercenaria, Venus campechiensis, and their hybrids. Proc natn Shellfish Ass 47:50–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa SL (1986) Salinity. In: Barile DD, Rathjen W (eds) Report on rainfall events of September and October 1985 and the impact of storm discharge on salinity and the clam population (Mercenaria mercenaria) of the Indian River lagoon. Marine Resources Council, Melbourne, Florida, pp 47–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillon RT Jr, Manzi JJ (1989) Genetics and shell morphology in a hybrid zone between the hard clams Mercenaria mercenaria and M. campechiensis. Mar Biol 100:217–222

    Google Scholar 

  • Folk RL (1974) Petrology of sedimentary rocks. Hemphill Publishing Co., Austin, Texas

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallucci VF, Quinn TJ II (1979) Reparameterizing, fitting, and testing a simple growth model. Trans Am Fish Soc 108: 14–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Games PA, Howell JF (1976) Pairwise multiple comparison procedures with unequal N's and/or variances: a Monte Carlo study. J educ Statist 1:113–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Haven D, Andrews JD (1956) Survival and growth of Venus mercenaria, Venus campechiensis, and their hybrids in suspended trays and on natural bottoms. Proc natn Shellfish Ass 47:43–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Haven DS, Loesch JG (1973) An investigation into commercial aspects of the hard clam fishery and development of commercial gear for the harvest of molluscs. Annual Contract Report, Contract No. 3-124 R, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia

    Google Scholar 

  • Irlandi EA, Peterson CH (1991) Modification of animal habitat by large plants: mechanisms by which seagrasses influence clam growth. Oecologia 87:307–318

    Google Scholar 

  • James FC, McCulloch CE (1990) Multivariate analysis in ecology and systematics: panacea or Pandora's box? A Rev Ecol Syst 30: 291–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones DS, Quitmyer IR, Arnold WS, Marelli DC (1990) Annual shell banding, age, and growth rate of hard clams (Mercenaria spp.) from Florida. J Shellfish Res 9:215–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Juanes F (1992) Why do decapod crustaceans prefer small-sized molluscan prey? Mar Ecol Prog Ser 87:239–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Levinton JS (1982) Marine ecology. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • McCall D, Cook JG, Lasater JA, Nevin TA (1970) A survey of salinity levels in the Indian River-Banana River complex. Bull envir Contam Toxic 5:414–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzel RW (1961) Seasonal growth of the northern quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria, and the southern quahog, M. campechiensis, in Alligator Harbor, Florida. Proc natn Shellfish Ass 52:37–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzel RW (1962) Seasonal growth of northern and southern and southern quahogs, Mercenaria mercenaria and M. campechiensis, and their hybrids in Florida. Proc natn Shellfish A55 53:111–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzel RW (1989) The biology, fishery and culture of quahog clams, Mercenaria. In: Manzi JJ, Castagna M (eds) Clam mariculture in North America. Developments in Aquacluture and Fisheries Science. Vol 19. Elsevier Science Publishing Company Inc, New York, pp 201–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Neff NA, Smith GR (1978) Multivariate analysis of hybrid fishes. Syst Zool 28:176–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson CH (1983) A concept of quantitative reproductive senility: application to the hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria (L.)? Oecologia 58:164–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson CH, Summerson HC, Duncan PB (1984) The influence of seagrass cover on population structure and individual growth rate of a suspension-feeding bivalve, Mercenaria mercenaria. J mar Res 42:123–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawson PD, Hilbish TJ (1991) Genotype-environment interaction for juvenile growth in the hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria (L.). Evolution 45:1924–1935

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice JD, Trocine RP, Wells GN (1983) Factors influencing seagrass ecology in the Indian River lagoon. Fla Scient 46:276–286

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1985) SAS user's guide: statistics. Version 5 edn. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith NP (1987) An introduction to the tides of Florida's Indian River lagoon. I. Water levels. Fla Scient 50:49–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith NP (1993) Tidal and wind-driven transport between Indian River and Mosquito Lagoon, Florida. Fla Scient 56: 235–246

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1981) Biometry. The principles and practice of statistics in biological research. 2nd edn. W.H. Freeman & Co., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Sunderlin JB, Breuner M, Castagna M, Hirota J, Menzel RW, Roels OA (1975) Comparative growth of hard shell clams (Mercenaria mercenaria Linné and Mercenaria campechiensis Gmelin) and their F1 cross in temperate, subtropical and tropical natural waters and in a tropical artificial upwelling mariculture system. Proc Wld Maricult Soc 6:171–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan DE (1988) Clam culture: state of the art in Florida, USA. J Shellfish Res 7:546

    Google Scholar 

  • Whetstone JM, Eversole AG (1981) Effects of size and temperature on mud crab, Panopeus herbstii, predation on hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria. Estuaries 4:153–156

    Google Scholar 

  • White C (1986) Biological and environmental factors affecting the clamming industry. In: Busby D (ed). An overview of the Indian River clamming industry and the Indian River Lagoon. University of Florida, Gainesville, pp 9–13 (Florida Sea Grant Extension Program, Tech Pap No 44)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. H. Cruz-Lopez

    Present address: Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, 801 Northwest 40th Street, 33431, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

  2. P. A. Gill

    Present address: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas, 3900 Commonwealth Boulevard, 32303, Tallahassee, Florida, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Marine Research Institute, 100 Eighth Avenue Southeast, 33701-5095, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

    W. S. Arnold, T. M. Bert, D. C. Marelli, H. Cruz-Lopez & P. A. Gill

Authors
  1. W. S. Arnold
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. M. Bert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. C. Marelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. Cruz-Lopez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. A. Gill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by N.H. Marcus, Tallahassee

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arnold, W.S., Bert, T.M., Marelli, D.C. et al. Genotype-specific growth of hard clams (genus Mercenaria) in a hybrid zone: variation among habitats. Marine Biology 125, 129–139 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350767

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350767

Keywords

Search

Navigation