How Does a Clam Reproduce

Reproduction is sexual, requiring both a male and a female. … Male clams produce sperm and release it into the water, while females produce eggs that are retained internally. The sperm get drawn into the female bivalve through her siphons, and fertilization occurs.

Are clams born with shells?

No, clams aren’t born with shells. They are free-swimming larvae after they hatch, and just prior to metamorphosis they secrete a hard shell.

What is a clams life cycle?

Generalized life cycle of the littleneck clam: Male and female clams spawn from May to September in the Strait of Georgia, and begin later in north coast. Mass fertilization occurs in water column. Fertilized eggs develop into ciliated, motile larvae within 12 h of fertilization.