BIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF VARIEGATED SCALLOP Chlamys varia (LINNAEUS, 1758.) – AS THE BASIS FOR FARMING

Pectinides are a highly regarded sea product among the consumers. Huge efforts are being made for the development of farming technology. All around the world the local species of the Pectinidae family are being consumed along with some newly introduced species as for example Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis Jay, 1858). Althougt there are 16 species of shellfish from eastern Adriatic that are offered in Croatian markets, only two species are being farmed. Chlamys varia (variegated scallop) is often found in many locations, most often where the s alredy egsist shellfish farming. Many authors believe that farming must be conducted in the hatcheries since the spat settlement on the collectors has proven unsuccessful and dependent of many environmental factors. The research of hatchery cultivation of this species has been described. In most areas where the reproductive cycle has been studied there appear to be two main periods of spawning each year, but the timing can differ between areas, and between years.