Annual Reproductive Cycle and Meat Yield of the Wedge Clam Donax trunculus Linnaeus, 1758 from Black Sea

The study aims to determine the reproductive cycle, the condition index, meat yield, shell component index, shell thickness index and gonad index of bivalve Donax trunculus inhabiting the Kefken-Babal & imath; location on the Black Sea in relation to environmental parameters between November 2013 and October 2014. Its gonadal development began in November. D. trunculus was in the inactive stage during autumn. Spawning was observed from May (18 degrees C) to August (28 degrees C). Sex ratios were not equal and number of males was higher during the study period (1.13:1) with one hermaphrodite individual only. Being synchronous between sexes based on histological analysis, the reproductive cycle consists of six stages. The study showed that the most ideal period to harvest of D. trunculus was between December and May, especially when the meat yield and condition index were determined to be highest.