• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2012

The genetic variation of Ark Shell, Scapharca broughtonii black was estimated using six polymorphic microsatellite (MS) loci in 443 individuals collected from five populations in Korea. The mean numbers of alleles per locus in five populations were 10-28. The mean number of alleles per locus in Jinhae Hatchery (JHH) population showed the least value as 15.5, but that in Gangjin (GJ) population showed the most value as 20.3. The mean expected heterozygosity in Saryangdo (SR) population showed the least value as 0.817, but that in Gangjin (GJ) population showed the most value as 0.831. In Jinhae hatchery(JHH) population, the mean expected heterozygosity was 0.822, there was no significant difference from those of wild population. The $F_{ST}$ values in Gangjin (GJ) population showed significant difference from those of the other populations, which revealed Gangjin (GJ) population is genetically different from the other populations. The $F_{ST}$ values among Jinhae Hatchery (JHH) population, Jinhae (JH) population and Saryangdo (SR) population showed lower values than the others, which implies there was a gene flow among these three populations. The $F_{ST}$ value and genetic distance between Jinhae (JH) population and Saryangdo (SR) population showed the least value as 0.0001 and 0.0386, indicating that these two populations were genetically the same.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

Seasonal changes in biochemical composition of muscle, gonad-viceral, mass and whole body of the cultured ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii in the Gamag bay of Yeosu city were studied from December 2008 to November 2009 in relation to environmental condition and reproductive cycles. Average monthly water temperature in the winter was in the range of $7-12^{\circ}C$ and $20-25^{\circ}C$ in the summer, while the salinity fluctuated in the range of 30.1%-33.8‰ on the average. Seasonal fluctuation of the concentration of nutrient salt was the highest in September ($13.04{\mu}g/L$) with average annual concentration of $4.6{\mu}g/L$. The main spawning season of the ark shell was during the months of July and August, and the gonads were in inactive stage during the winter. The gonad-visceral mass contained lower amounts of proteins than the other body parts. The most marked changes in body composition were lipids and carbohydrates within the gonad-visceral mass, and protein for each of the organs was relatively consistent throughout the year. All the parts in the visceral sac displayed the highest changes during the gametogenic cycle while the contents of moisture and lipid within the visceral act displayed somewhat inverse relations with each other. Moisture content was the lowest during the inactive stage during which the lipid content is the highest. The lipid content was the lowest immediately following spawning with increase in the moisture content as the lipid is being consumed. Protein mass within the visceral sac was low in comparison to the muscle mass. It is deemed that carbohydrates, lipids and proteins in the visceral sac play the major role as the source of energy during the development process of the gonads, and used for maintenance of base metabolism when available food is scarce.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2002

Histology and ultrastructure of the mantle epidermis in the ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii are described using light and electron microscopy. The mantle of the ark shell is composed of outer epidermis, connective tissue and inner epidermis. Both epidermis are simple and consists of supporting cells, ciliated cells and secretory cells. Connective tissue is composed of mainly collagen and muscle fibers. The supporting cells in the inner epidermis are usually columnar and covered with microvilli. The ciliated cell have cilia and microvilli on the free surface, and numerous tubular mitochondria are observed in the apical cytoplasm. Secretory cells are mainly observed in the outer epidermis, and it can be divided into four types of A, B, C and D with morphological features of the secretory granules. Type A cells of mucous cell are found in the marginal and central mantle. And these cells contains numerous secretory granules of non-bounded and low electron density. Type B cells contains numerous rough endoplasmic reticula, well-developed Golgi complex and secretory granules of membrane-bounded and high electron density. Secretory granules of type C cells are divided into fibrous core layer and homogeneous peripheral layer. Type D cells are found in the outer epidermis of the central and umbonal mantle. And secretory granules of these cells are divided into homogeneous core layer and granular peripheral layer. This results suggest that the outer and inner epidermis of the mantle are related with shell formation and cleaning of the mantle cavity, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.293-303
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• 2012

Growth and survival (%) of the larvae and spats of Scapharca broughtonii fed on three different microalgal species (Isochrysis galbana, Pavlova lutheri and Chaetoceros simplex) were investigated with the analysis of fatty acid composition. The larvae fed on mixed diet with three microalgal species showed the highest growth in shell length ($261.3{\pm}13.5{\mu}m$) and survival ($27.4{\pm}5.3%$). The growth and survival (%) of the larvae fed on the single diet with C. simplex were significantly higher than those of the larvae fed on I. galbana or P. lutheri (P < 0.05). The growth and survival (%) of S. broughtonii spats reared for 30 days were also highest in the mixed diet group with $1,114.8{\pm}128.0{\mu}m$ and $61.3{\pm}5.5%$, respectively, and followed by C. simplex, I. galbana and P. lutheri. With respect to composition of fatty acid of the single or mixed microalgal diet, the content of PUFA and n-3 HUFA were the highest in C. simplex. This result can be considered as the reason for high growth and survival (%) of the larvae and the spats. C. simplex was the best species as the single diet, but the mixed diet with three microalgal species showed better dietary value than single diet did for the larvae and spat of S. broughtonii.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.273-282
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• 2009

Cadmium (Cd) and tributyltin (TBT) are common contaminants of marine and freshwater ecosystems, and can induce the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS can, in turn, cause oxidative stress. In the present study, we investigated time-related effects of Cd (0.05 and 0.1 ppm) and TBT (5 and 10 ppb) treatment on antioxidant enzyme activity, i.e., the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the gills and digestive glands of the ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii. In addition, hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) concentrations, lysozyme activity, and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) levels were measured in the hemolymph. We found that Cd and TBT treatment significantly increased antioxidant enzyme mRNA expression and activity in the digestive glands and gills in a time-dependent manner. In response to the Cd and TBT treatments, antioxidant enzymes mRNA expression and activity increased up to day 5 in the digestive glands and then decreased by day 7. In the gills, antioxidant enzymes mRNA expression and activity increased up to day 3 and then decreased by day 5. Likewise, $H_2O_2$ concentrations significantly increased up to day 5 and then decreased by day 7. Finally, lysozyme activity decreased during the experimental period, whereas GOT and GPT levels were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner. These results suggest that antioxidant enzymes play an important role in decreasing ROS levels and oxidative stress in ark shells exposed to Cd and TBT.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.153-159
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• 2006

The ark shell (or 'blood clam') Scapharca broughtonii is a filter-feeding bivalve that has red blood and inhabits waters approximately 10m in depth off the southern coast of South Korea. This study was part of a larger research project investigating the causes of death and restoration of shellfish resources, which are important aquaculture products in South Korea. We examined physiological responses related to survival, respiration, excretion, and amino acid changes as a result of changes in salinity. The 9-day median lethal salinity ($LS_{50}$) was 16.5 psu with confidence limits of 14.9-18.1 psu. At $25^{\circ}C$, the oxygen consumption and ammonia-nitrogen excretion rates were increased with decreases in salinity. Although the osmolality of individuals was acclimated within 2 h at 26.4 psu and 12 h at 19.8 psu, it took more than 5 days at a salinity of 13.2 psu, whereas no individuals acclimated and all died at a salinity of 6.6 psu. Of the amino acids present in the blood, taurine and alanine increased in response to decreased salinity. Tissues of the gill and the mid-gut gland were affected by decreasing salinity. These data will provide important fundamental information for examining the causes of mass mortality of shellfish in the summer.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2006

Artificial induction of maturation by heating of the ark shell, Scapharca broughtonii (Schrenck) broodstock was investigated from 10th March to 21th May in 2004. Maturity at the fixed water temperature group of $23^{\circ}C$ was 60.5％, and it was the highest in maturity among experimental groups cultured for seven weeks. The proportions of organism surviving to start of S. broughtonii in the raised water temperature experimental groups (20 and $23^{\circ}C$) were over 90.5％, as similar to the control group (natural water temperature, 84.8％). But, the proportions of organism surviving to start of S. broughtonii in the fixed water temperature experimental groups (20, 23, and $26^{\circ}C$) were decreased with the increasing of the water temperature. In the fixed water temperature experimental groups of $26^{\circ}C$, the survival was 18.1％. Base on these results, the fixed water temperature of $20^{\circ}C$ (accumulated water temperature; $1,295^{\circ}C$) was the best condition for artificial induction of sexual maturation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.642-649
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• 2012

The southern coast of Korea is important for the ark shell ($Scapharca$ $broughtonii$) aquaculture, but the productivity was rapidly reduced during the previous decade by mass mortality. To overcome this economic loss, investigations only focused on environmental factors, and microbiological researches were performed insufficiently. In this study, two sites (Gangjin and Jinhae bay) were selected for their high and low rate of mortality, respectively, and the existence of microflora from underwater sediments in the bodies of $S.$ $broughtonii$ was analyzed. We screened the whole body of each sample and chose unique colonies, which exhibit alpha- and beta-hemolytic activity, for identification. The microflora in $S.$ $broughtonii$ was less variable than sediments, and restricted species were isolated. We identified 17 genera of 88 species and 16 genera of 64 species from the two bays, respectively. A major proportion was comprised of $Bacillus$ species, with the $Bacillus$ $cereus$ group being the most common species among the $Bacillus$ strains, while $Paenibacillus$, $Lynsilbacillus$, and $Vibrio$ species were the second most abundant species. At the genus level, there were no significant microbial differences between the two coastal regions. 64 species were isolated from rare site (Jinhae bay), but more species (88) with greater variety were isolated from the frequent site (Gangjin bay). Therefore, it was assumed that the cause of mass mortality lay in the difference in specie-level diversity, and conducting investigations on the diagnosis of pathogenic species by challenging tests using isolated unique species.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Sciences Society Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.264-266
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• 2006

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2014

Ark shell Scapharca broughtonii length and total weight growth by density, which was hanging-cultured near the sea area of Yeosu-city, Hoenggan-island (below is Yeosu), showed inverse correlation with density. As for the average growth of shell length by density, the test area of 10 shells showed the best result as 5.21 mm, and it became lower as density became higher. Also, the increase of total weight by density showed the same result, thus on the whole, the increase of average shell length and total weight of 10-20 shell test area showed the better result than the test area of 30-40 shells. In addition, even if the parashell's shell length by density and total weight growth in the sea area of Namhae-gun, Mijo-fishing port (below is Namhae) showed inverse correlation with density, it showed the slighter inverse correlation than the sea area of Yeosu. As for the average growth of shell length by density, the test area of 10 shells showed the best result as 4.55mm, but the average growth of shell length by density in the test area of 20-40 shells appeared to be similar as 3.11, 3.36 and 3.27 mm. On the other hand, as for the increase of total weight by density, the test area of 10-20 shells showed the more increase than the test area of 30-40 shells. In conclusion, it is guessed that the culture density of 20 shells/$0.12m^2$ (166 shells / $1m^2$) would be appropriate when hanging-culturing the shells. At the sea area of A, the survival rate of Scapharca broughtonii parashell was 68-87% by density respectively, and it showed the density-dependent result, while the survival rate of sea area of Namhae, where phytoplankton as prey is abundant, showed the much better result as 91-100%. It is guessed that this may be due to the fact that the quantity of phytoplankton in sea area of Yeosu is just 55.89% of sea area of Namhae. When hanging-culturing the shells, the water temperature by sea area ranged from 16.22 to $25.66^{\circ}C$, salinity 30.07-33.48, pH 8.10-8.45, and DO 4.49-9.65 mg/L.