BIOTIC

BIOTIC Species Information for Ensis ensis
All Taxonomy Biology Distribution Reproduction

Researched by	Jacqueline Hill	Data supplied by	MarLIN
Refereed by	This information is not refereed.
General Biology
Growth form	Bivalved	Feeding method	Active suspension feeder
Mobility/Movement	Burrower	Environmental position	Infaunal
Typical food types	Suspended organic detritus	Habit	Burrow dwelling
Bioturbator		Flexibility	None (< 10 degrees)
Fragility	Fragile	Size	Medium(11-20 cm)
Height	Insufficient information	Growth Rate	2-4 cm/year
Adult dispersal potential	10-100m	Dependency	Independent
Sociability	Gregarious
Toxic/Poisonous?	No
General Biology Additional Information	Typical abundance Abundance of Ensis sp. varies from high to low density. In favourable conditions - such as the lee of rocks, rocks and islands for Ensis arcuatus on the western coast, individuals are found in high densities in 'beds' which interchange individuals with the surrounding areas where they occur in a more dispersed pattern (Fahy et al. in press). Size ranges Size range given for Ensis ensis. Ensis siliqua males and females up to 20 cm and Ensis arcuatus males and females up to 15 cm. Growth rates Growth in the first winter is 2-4 cm. The three species have similar growth patterns but with different asymptotic lengths. In Ensis siliqua males grow faster than females. Growth rates are higher in the summer, when the food supply is abundant, than in the winter when the temperature and food supply are both reduced. Ensis ensis also show a neap-spring lunar growth pattern with smaller growth bands during spring tides when animals are emersed for longer (Henderson & Richardson, 1994). The growth rate given is the maximum rate in the first year or two of life. Thereafter growth falls to 2-3 cm/year (Robinson & Richardson, 1998).
Biology References