Larvae of the commercial scallop, Pecten meridionalis from Tasmania, Australia

Abstract

After fertilization in the laboratory, eggs (diameter 71 µm) of Pecten meridionalis developed to straight hinge veligers with a smallest shell length of 93 µm after 3 days at 13-15º C. The larval shell developed umbones at about 160 µm, pediveligers occurred at 180 fim and larvae began crawling at metamorphosis when the shell length was 220-240 µm 31 days after fetilization. The larval shells grew almost isometrically, and length (I) and width (w) (in µm) were described closely by the G.M. regression :

w = 0.9901-18.660.