Reproductive cycle of the sand mollusk, Leukoma pectorina (Lamarck, 1818)

Knowledge of the reproductive cycle of marine invertebrates is essential to understanding their population dynamics. However, studies on the biological aspects of Leukoma pectorina are scarce. This study analyzed the interactions between salinity, temperature, and seston and the reproductive cycle of L. pectorina in southern Brazil (27°42'15.6"S, 48°38'23.9"W). In total, 236 specimens were collected between January and December 2022 and subjected to histological analysis to understand their reproductive cycle, sex ratio, onset of maturation, and condition index (CI). L. pectorina exhibited a continuous reproductive cycle without any resting phase. The sex ratio between males and females was 1:1.3. Both male and female specimens underwent an initial maturation stage with a minimum shell length of 21 mm. Animals in the spawning stage showed higher CI values than those in the maturation and immature stages. Overall, the reproductive cycle of L. pectorina was influenced by temperature and food availability. Temperature stimulated spawning and gametogenesis, and food availability influenced gametogenesis. Salinity did not influence the reproductive cycle of L. pectorina.