Mercenaria mercenaria(quahog) exploration

Clam videos• clam behavior• clams, in general• clam business• Scallop fight

(without arms!)• Scallop flees

Dissection guidelines

• Find any of many online protocols, including the ones below. YouTubes are also effective guides.

• http://www.biologyjunction.com/clam_dissection.htm

• file:///C:/Users/areis/Downloads/clam%20dissection%20PDF.pdf

• http://bioserv.fiu.edu/~biolab/labs/2003/Fall2012/OCB_2003L_Lab_7_Fall_2012_Clam-Anatomy.pdf

DOCUMENT YOUR DISSECTION

• You will take pictures of your quahog and label its parts– First do an external picture– Then do an internal of what you initially see– Finally, do a deep internal picture.– Include a little card with your names in the corner

• You will put these on 3 Google Drive presentation slides. There will be a class presentation to which you will add yours. White background only.

Important TermsExterior:• Hinge • Umbo• Anterior/posterior• Dorsal/ventral• Left/right valveInterior:• Mantle• Foot • Gills• Incurrent/excurrent siphon• Adductor muscles (scars)• Digestive gland• Mouth • Intestine• Anus

Quahog presentation

Quahog Research:

• Each group needs to produce between 2 and 4 ppt slides that address your assigned area of research. • Some questions to get you started follow, but you are

not limited to them. • Focus your research on the local hard shell clam,

Mercenaria mercenaria. • Your slides should have information and illustration.

White background only. • Build them in the class-made Google Slides presentation.

Biology*Describe the anatomy (form) and physiology (function) of key quahog parts.*How do quahogs eat?*How do quahogs reproduce?

Chemistry*Under what range of salinities do quahogs thrive?*What is their shell made of and how do they produce it?*What impact does carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have on shell formation?

Geology*At what range of depths do quahogs thrive?*In what type of substrate (bottom material) are you likely to find quahogs?

Ecology

*What do quahogs eat and what eats them?*What factors are important in terms of population density?

Harvesting Methods

*Commercial quahoggers are not allowed to use mechanical methods (dredge or compressor) in the bay. What methods can they use?*Are there size limits or seasonal limits? If so what are they?*What are conditional areas?

Economics

*What are the names for the different sizes of quahogs?*What price does the digger get per clam? What price are they in the store? What price do they get in a restaurant?*Are landings increasing, decreasing, or staying the same