Effect of temperature and relative humidity on the tolerance of the Japanese clam, Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams & Reeve), to air exposure

Laboratory studies showed that higher relative humidity (RH) and lower air temperature increase the tolerance of the Japanese clam, Ruditapes philippinarum (Adams & Reeve), to exposure. Aerial respiration of the clam was also measured. At high RK, the exposure time which gave 50% survival (LT50) was 1.97 and 1.75 times longer than in low RH at air temperatures of 15 and 25 degrees C, respectively. At 15 degrees C, all clams previously acclimatized at 15 degrees C survived for 58 h at low RH and 102 h at high RH, These differences can potentially be exploited to improve the shipment of clams, The aerial respiration experiment showed that the increase of the oxygen consumption rate at 25 degrees C was greater than that at 15 degrees C, following an increase in exposure time. The aerial respiration rates of the clams were approximate to 41.6% and 50.0% of those in water at 25 and 15 degrees C, respectively, The survival of the clams in air was dependent on aerobic rather than anaerobic respiration.