Variation of steroid concentrations during the reproductive cycle of the clam Ruditapes decussatus: A one year study in the gulf of Gabès area

Progesterone, testosterone and estradiol-17β were measured by radio-immunoassay (RIA) in the gonads of the clam Ruditapes decussatus. The reproductive cycle was also investigated. Our study covered a period of one year, from September 2003 to August 2004. The chosen site “Kerkennah”, located out of industrial effluents, belongs to the gulf of Gabès area (Tunisia). Steroids varied from 178 to 2459 pg g − 1 wet mass for progesterone, from 40 to 326 pg g − 1 wet mass for testosterone and from 10 to 235 pg g − 1 wet mass for estradiol-17β in females. However in males, these steroids ranged from 304 to 2303 pg g − 1 wet mass for progesterone, from 81 to 381 pg g − 1 wet mass for testosterone and from 48 to 168 pg g − 1 wet mass for estradiol-17β. The reproductive cycle of R. decussatus, investigated by histological examination of gonadic sections, showed that gametogenesis occurred from April to February in males and from April to November in females. Progesterone and testosterone increased at the end of gametogenesis in both sexes. The highest estradiol-17β was recorded at the beginning of vitellogenesis in females. Fluctuations in the levels of sex steroids during the reproductive cycle suggest their possible role as endogenous modulators of gametogenesis in R. decussatus. Although this species is considered as gonochoristic, 0.83% of hermaphrodites were observed.