In order to select the most suitable broodstock conditions for Callista chione, a conditioning experiment was performed and the gametogenic cycle of a natural population on the coast of Arenys de Mar (Catalonia, NE Spain) was studied. The influence of food availability and sand bed presence on energy balance and gonadal development was analyzed, also the proliferation of intracellular bacteria in gills was monitored. The gametogenic cycle started between August and September. In November, most of the gonads were ripe and spawning began in December. The higher abundance of spawning clams occurred between January and April (with sea surface temperature 13-15ºC). Three experimental conditions were tested in September at a constant temperature of 14ºC:T1 (0.10% of organic weight of microalgae as a proportion of the live weight of the clams per day and a sand bed); T2 (0.05% and a sand bed); T3 (0.10% without a sand bed). Gonadal maturity was a priority for this species and was reached at the end of all trials. Food availability and sand bed presence benefit survival and gonadal development. The best results were obtained in clams from trial T1. Nevertheless, broodstock conditions seemed to trigger the proliferation of intracellular bacteria in gills, and as the experiment advanced, prevalence and intensity of infection increased for all trials reaching values of 100% and between 9-40 intracellular bacteria/pair of gill plica, respectively.

Kako bi se odabrali najprikladniji uvjeti za mriještenje vrste Callista chione, proveden je eksperiment kojim se pokušao utvrditi gametogeni ciklus prirodne populacije na obali Arenys de Mar (Katalonija, SI Španjolska). Analiziran je utjecaj dostupnosti hrane i prisutnosti pješčanog morskog dna na energetsku ravnotežu i gonadni razvoj, također je praćena proliferacija intracelularne bakterije u škrgama. Gametogeni ciklus započeo je između kolovoza i rujna. U studenom je većina gonada zrela i mrijest je započeo u prosincu. Veći broj mriještenja školjki dogodio se između siječnja i travnja (uz površinske temperature mora 13-15ºC). Tri eksperimentalna uvjeta su ispitana u rujnu na konstantnoj temperaturi od 14 stupnjeva: T1 (0.10% organske mase algi, udjela žive vage školjki po danu i pješčanog dna); T2 (0,05% pješčano dno); T3 (0.10% bez pješčanog dna). Gonadna zrelost je prioritet za ovu vrstu, a postignuta je na kraju svih ispitivanja. Dostupnost hrane i pješčano morsko dno pogoduju opstanku i razvoju gonada, a najbolji rezultati dobiveni su u školjkama u ispitivanju označenom T1. Ipak, činilo se da uvjeti mriještenja aktiviraju proliferaciju intracelularne bakterije u škrgama, a kako je eksperiment napredovao, učestalost i intenzitet zaraze se respektivno povećao kod svih ispitanih primjeraka dosežući vrijednosti od 100% i između 9-40 intracelularnih bakterija po paru škržnih nabora.