BIOCHEMICAL STUDY OF LARVAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE RAZOR CLAM ENSIS ARCUATUS

摘要

The razor clamEnsis arcuatus (Jeffreys, 1865) has been gained commercial value in recent years. Survival of cultured bivalves depends largely on the levels of stbred energy reserves. The energy needed for the transition from fertilized oocyte to larval D-stage in most marine bivalves originates from the proteins stored in the egg, where proteins and lipids interact (Whyte et al., 1991). Thereafter, during larval development, the proteins, lipids and carbohydrates contributed by the food source provide the needed energy for the metamorphosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the larval development of E. arcuatus, evaluating energy acquisition processes.