Pelecypod-Sediment Association in Tomales Bay, California

Maurer, D

This study was undertaken to determine whether there was an association between distribution, abundance and size of pelecypods and sediment particle size. Research was conducted during the summers of 1961 through 1963 at the Pacific Marine station in Tomales Bay, located in Marin County, California between 38 14'00" N Latitude, 122 58'35" W Longitude and 38 °05' 30" N' Latitude, 122°49'40" W Longitude. The species under study, Tellina buttoni DALL, 1900, T. salmonea (Carpenter, 1864), Mysella tumida (Carpenter, 1864) Lyonsia californiea CONRAD, 1837, and Transennella tantilla (Gould, 1852) were selected because they are numerous, widely distributed and occur in a variety of sediment types in Tomales Bay. Most research on bivalve-sediment relationships has been chiefly concerned with species commonly collected by. dredges. Such collections mix different sediment types and tend to confuse natural pelecypod-substrate associations, The present study differs from earlier investigations in that samples were collected with a quantitative grab which assures a collection of bivalves from the sediment in which they live. an important prerequisite for the determination of pelecypod-sediment associations, The purpose of the paper is to report the results of an investigation on bivalve-sediment relationships in Tomales Bay. Results indicate that distribution and abundance of all species except 1i'ansennella lantilla appear to be strongly influenced by sediment type.

Pelecypod-Sediment Association in Tomales Bay, California

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