Gonad Status, Condition Index and Biochemical Composition of the Yellow Clam Amarilladesma mactroides

Abstract

The yellow clam, Amarilladesma mactroides, is an abundant component of the intertidal infauna of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and an important source of food and income for local communities. In recent years, this species has been increasingly affected by anthropogenic and environmental pressures, contributing to the decline and collapse of several populations. In this study, we characterized the reproductive cycle of A. mactroides in the southernmost region of Brazil using standard approaches, including gonadal histology and biometric parameters, complemented by analyses of proximal composition and fatty acid profiles. Monthly samples of ≥100 clams were collected from October 2021 to September 2022. The results revealed two distinct reproductive peaks: a major peak from October to December (austral spring–summer) and a less pronounced peak from May to July (autumn–winter). Although gonadal histology, particularly oocyte diameter, provided the primary evidence for defining these reproductive peaks, the condition index and concentrations of total lipids and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) also proved useful indicators of reproductive activity. These findings provide new insights into the reproductive dynamics of A. mactroides in southern Brazil and may contribute to the development of strategies for the sustainable management, conservation and aquaculture of this ecologically and socioeconomically important bivalve.

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