Abstract
The frequency distribution of the length, breadth and height of Mytella strigata Hanley, 1843 on sandy-muddy substrates in Lepanto Beach, Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, is essentially unimodal. In 11200 m2 there was a total population of 61 million mussels (5455/m2) approximately. The shell grows allometrically, and the length is an adequate parameter. However, the shell grows more in height and comparatively is more spherical than in Mytella guyanensis L. The minimum and maximum measurements were 10 and 42.6 mm, and averages were 24.9; 10.8 and 7.8 mm for length, breadth and height respectively. Preliminary observations show that gavilana ray (Myliobatidae) feeds on M. strigata in Lepanto Beach.
References
Bannister, J.V. 1975. Shell parameter in relation to zonation in Mediterranean Limpets. Mar. Biol., 31: 63-67.
Keen, C.R. 1971. Sea shells of Tropical West America. Marine mollusks form Baja California to Peru. 2a. ed. Stanford University Press. Standford, Calif.
p.
Newell, C.R., & H. Hidu, 1982. The effects of sediment type on growth rate and shell allometry in the soft shelled clam Mya arenaria L. J. Exp. Mar. Biol.
Ecol., 65: 285-295.
Seed, R. 1968. Factors influencing shell shape in the mussel Mytilus edulis L. J. Mar. Biol. U.K., 48: 561-584.
Comments
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 1985 Revista de Biología Tropical