In order to examine the catching selectivity of the ark shell(Scapharca broughtonii) dredge, the various factors affecting the selective action of the dredge are analyzed, and the probabilities of the ark shell not shifting through the gaps between the teeth, and the mesh of the netting bag, are calculated for the various shell lengths, using the relation between the posture and the length when the shell passes through these parts.Considering that the probability of making catch is the product of the both probabilities described above, and that this probability is proportional to the relative catching efficiency, the selectivity curves for the ark shell dredge were estimated for various gaps between the teeth and for the various mesh sizes of the netting bag. The obtained results are summarized as follows :1. The ratios of the shell length of ark shell to the distance between teeth indicating the relative catching efficiency of 0%, 50, 100% respectively were 1.0, 1.26~1.28, 1.47~1.44, and that the selection ranges of selective shell length by the distance between teeth were 0.47~0.44, where the distances between teeth were 3.2cm, 3.6cm, 4.0cm, 4.4cm and 4.8cm. 2. The ratios of the shell length of ark shell to the mesh size indicating the relative catching efficiency of 0%, 50%, 100% respectively were 0.67, 0.84, 0.97 and that the selection range of shell length for catching, that in the range of selective shell length by the mesh size was 0.31, where the distance of 4.0cm between teeth, mesh size of 6.0 cm and the smaller mesh angle of 60˚3. Where the distance between teeth is 4.0 cm and the smaller mesh angle is 60˚, the selection range of shell length for catching of the ark shell dredge is decreased according to the mesh size, and it is minimized by 0.20 in the mesh size of 9.0~10.0 cm, but increased in the mesh size of over 11.0 cm. 4. Where the distance between teeth is 4.0 cm, the selective action by the mesh size of netting bag is begun with the mesh size of over 10.0 cm.

The present study examined the possibility of cryopreservation of the D-shaped and umbo larvae of arkshell (Scapharca broughtonii), in terms of the survival rates after freezing and thawing. D-shaped and umbo larvae of arkshells were obtained from a shellfish farming on Yosu city. The average shell lengths were m and , respectively. Five cryoprotectants (CPAs), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol, ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), and methanol, were tested at the concentrations of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 M. After larvae suspended in CPAs, cryoprotectants were loaded in 0.5 ml straws at a larval density of 50-100 larvae per straw, and epuilibrated for 10 and 20 minute at room temperature (), repectively. Straws were cooled at a rate of /min from to , held for 5 min at , and then cooled at /min to and equilibrated for 5 min followed by plunging in liquid nitrogen. After storage in liquid nitrogen for 1 day, straws were thawed in a water. As soon as straws were observed to melt, larvae were diluted with an equal volume of ASW and then washed twice with a large volume of ASW at an interval of 2 min to unload the CPAs. The results showed that after equilibration for 10 and 20 minute at room temperature, no larvae survived using methanol as CPAs, and it was observed that larval shells all open slightly, and larval flesh broke down and slopped over the shells. The highest survival rates (D-shaped larvae: 77.6%, umbo larvae: 59.3%) were obtained with 2M DMSO, and 1.5M glycerol yielded survival rates of 53.8% for D-shaped larvae and 37.5% for umbo larvae. The surviving D-shaped larvae showed active rotary motion and perfect membrane integrity and cytoplasmic normality, and the vigorous movement of veliger cilia was observed inside the closed shells. The breakdown of tissue occurred in the abnormal larvae, and the isolated cell often run out of shells.