concentrations of larvae (up to 57,200/100 liters) were found in the lower 

 part of the bay's central basin. Lower densities of larvae near the inlet 

 were partly due to dilution from tidal exchange. Vertical distribution of 

 larvae was determined by taking a vertical series of 97 plankton samples. 

 Veligers remained suspended throughout planktonic life. During daylight 

 veligers concentrated in the middle strata, away from bottom dwelling 

 predators, and were more broadly distributed during darkness. Light and 

 turbulence may stimulate larvae to rise vertically. Early stage larvae 

 tend to remain in the original swarm produced by mass spawning of adults, 

 but late stage larvae are dispersed by hydrographic mixing processes. 

 Byssal plantigrade behavior was studied in the lab. They are strongly 

 thigmokinetic and attach the byssus most frequently to hard surfaces 

 covered with fine sediment containing much organic matter. They are 

 negatively photokinetic, preferring dim light. No rheotactic response 

 occurred in current velocities to 2.5 cm/sec. Hard clam sets occurred 

 widely, though irregularly, in Little Egg Harbor. Distribution of new sets 

 did not exactly coincide with that of adults. Maximum concentrations of 

 plantigrades (125/m2) were attached to shells coated with mud. Dense 

 concentrations were found in sediment around objects projecting from the 

 bottom possibly because: they may be stimulated to set beneath areas of 

 differential turbulence, they may crawl or swim to areas of turbulence 

 after setting elsewhere, or these baffle areas may provide microhabitats 

 which provide protection from predators. A small device was designed to 

 simulate desirable setting habitats for clams to determine the relative 

 intensity of setting in the area. Number of clams set in the samplers was 

 compared to veligers in the water before setting. Enemies of early stages 

 of the hard clam included: Siropidium, Condylostoma, xanthid mud crabs, 

 Callineotes, Carcinides, Limulus ^ Urosalpinx, Eupleurqj Polinices 3 Molgula, 

 Sphaeroides , ducks and geese, and possibly Busyoon and Asterias . - D.L. 



232 



Carriker, Melbourne Romaine. 1961. 



Comparative functional morphology of boring mechanisms in gastropods. Am. 

 Zoologist 1: 263-266. 



Fig. 1 shows representative gastropod bore holes in several mollusk species, 

 including hole by Natioa severa in shell of Meroenaria meroenaria and hole 

 in shell edge of M. meroenaria made by Murex fulvesoens . - J.L.M. 



283 



Carriker, M. R. 1967. 



Ecology of estuarine benthic invertebrates: A perspective. In Estuaries. 

 G. H. Lauff (edj . Am. Assn. Adv. Sci., Pub. 83, Washington, D. C .: 442-487. 



This comprehensive review paper contains some specific references to 

 Meroenaria meroenaria from published works of the author and others. It 

 contains no original data. Papers cited are abstracted elsewhere in this 

 volume. - J.L.M. 



284 



Carriker, Melbourne R. 1979. 



Molluscan bivalve larvae:. Past, present, and future. In Estuarine Re- 

 search: Past, Present, and Future: A Symposium. Melbourne R. Carriker (ed.) . 

 Atlantic Estuarine Research Society, p. 23-28. 



Initial work on factors influencing setting by Meroenaria meroenaria was 

 carried out by Keck et al. (1974) , abstracted elsewhere in this bibliography. 

 - J.L.M. 



78 



