Contribución a la ecologia de Tivela mactroides, Born, 1778: aspectos reproductivos

Abstract

Sexual maturity and other reproductive features of Tivela mactroides collected from Playa Guiria, Carúpano, Sucre State, Venezuela, were studied on the basis of smears and histological sections of gonads. There was continuous sexual cycle, but the development of the visceral mass, in females was less from January to March, 1975. A five steps maturity sexual scale was used to examine the histological sections, indicating that the dominant phase consist of a partial spawning. In total sexes and in intervals (10.1 - 30.0 mm) the ratio does not vary from the proportion 1:1, although the males outnumber the females; the number of females is significantly higher in the larger ones (30,1-45.00 mm).