How do sea clams reproduce?

Answer 1

Agree with the above. Additional points - the fertilized egg, or zygote, begins to divide, just as in other animal species, still floating freely in the water. It eventually develops into a ciliated, free-swimming larva called a veliger. The larva swims about in the water, many of them being eaten by small predators like copepods, and filter-feeding organisms. Eventually, those larvae which survive begin to develop the organs of a mature clam, including a mantle, the shell-producing organ. The mantle then begins to extract minerals, especially calcium, from the ocean water and starts to form the shell. The weight of the tiny shell carries the young clam to the bottom, where it continues to grow, if it lands on suitable substrate. However, if the species is a rock-dweller, like marine mussels, and lands on a muddy or sandy bottom, it dies. Likewise if the larva of a sand-dwelling clam lands on a hard rock bottom, it dies.

Answer 2

clams reproduce sexually, however, as do many oceanic macrofauna, they do so by sending out gametes into the ocean(sponges do the same) they then hope that theri male and female reproductive cells eventually find one another. then, if fertilized they become clams (first going through a stage where they live in the open water column, depending on the species) otherwise, the unfertilized cells jsut fall to the deep sea as a part of marine snow.

Answer 3

When the water temp. reaches the right temp., in the season, the clams release sperm, and eggs, this is fertilized outside of the clam, with the mixing water, from there is grows