• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.377-386
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• 2011

The ultrastructures of germ cells during spermatogenesis and sperm morphology in male Mya arenaria oonogai, which was collected on the coastal waters of Samcheonpo, south coast of Korea, were investigated by transmission electron microscopic observations. In the early stage of the spermatid during spermiogenesis, a few granules and a proacrosomal granule, which is formed by the Golgi complex, appear on the spermatid nucleus, and then it becomes a proacrosomal vesicle. Consequently, it becomes an acrosome by way of the process of acrosome formation. The morphologies of the sperm nucleus type and the acrosome of this species have a curved cylindrical type and cone shape, respectively. The spermatozoon is approximately $48-50{\mu}m$ in length including a curved cylinderical sperm nucleus (about $2.65{\mu}m$ long), an acrosome (about $0.64{\mu}m$ in length) and tail flagellum ($40-45{\mu}m$ long). As some ultrastructural characteristics of the acrosomal vesicle, the peripheral parts of two basal rings show electron opaque part (region), while the apex part of the acrosome shows electron lucent part (region). These charateristics of the sperm belong to the family Myidae or some species of Veneridae in the subclass Heterodonta, unlike a characteristic of the subclass Pteriomorphia showing all part of the acrosome being composed of electron opaque part (region). Therefore, it is easy to distinguish the families or the subclasses by the acrosome structures. Exceptionally, In particular, a cylinder-like nucleus of the sperm is curved (the angle of the nucleus is about $20^{\circ}$), as seen in some species of Veneridae (range from $0^{\circ}-80^{\circ}$). The number of mitochondria in the midpiece of the sperm of this species are four, as one of common characteristics appeared in most species except for a few species in Veneridae in the subclass Heterodonta. Cross-sectioned axoneme of the sperm tail flagellum shows a 9+2 structure: the axoneme of the sperm tail flagellum consists of nine pairs of peripheral microtubules at the periphery and a pair of central doublets at the center.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2004

Growth pattern of the soft clam (Mya arenaria oonogei) was estimated based on samples collected from the Yeongsan River estuary on the southwest coast of Korea between August 1996 and September 1997. Mean density of the clam during study period was $55\;ind./m^2$ and varied monthly from 281 to $8\;ind./m^2.$ The clams from the study area ranged in age from one year to seven years, with shell lengths between 40.4 mm and 104.1 mm and biomass between 8.4 and 152.3 g in total wet weight. The spawing season was estimated to occur between September and October based upon a reduced fatness index, an indication of spawning, during these months. Burial depths increased with growth of the clams and most were found buried between 10 and 20 cm in the sediments. Significant relationships were found between shell length and shell height (SH), total wet weight, (TWt), meat wet weight (MWt), meat dry weight (DWt), ash free dry weight (AFDW) and burial depth. The von Bertalanffy growth equations of the clams were $L_t(mm)=138.98(1-e^{-0.1325(t+0.8853)})\;and\;W_t\;(gTWt)=325.93\;(1-e^{0.1325(t+0.8853)})^{2.6982}.$ These equations suggest that in their first year the clams should reach 31 mm in length with a biomass of 5.7 g in total wet weight.