Abstract
Neritina latissima from Río Pánica, Bahía Ballena, Costa Rica, exhibits a color pattern that clearly matches that of the substrate, which has high values of manganese (MnO2) not found elsewhere. Other nearby populations show no traces of this element and the substrate is mainly of a calcareous type. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the shells and tissues of N. latissima, as well as of the substrate suggest that the coloration in the animals is the result of metabolic incorporation through food intake. The results also suggest that the process may be related to the observed smaller size of the individuals, as compared with individuals of other areas with a lower manganese content.References
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