Variabilidad temporal de la abundancia de Coralliophila abbreviatay Coralliophila caribaea (Mollusca, Coralliophilidae) en un arrecife coralino del Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela

Abstract

The mollusks Coralliophilaabbreviata and C. caribaea are coral predators in the Caribbean Sea . We evaluated the temporal variabil-ity of abundance and size structure of C. abbreviata and C. caribaea in Cayo Sombrero, Morrocoy National Park, Venezuelar (September 2004 - August 2005). The density of C. abbreviata and C. caribaeawas evalu-ated monthly by means of two 50- meter long transects paralell to the coast line, at 3 m and 6 m deep; adi-tionally, 30 individuals of C. abbreviatawere collected to measure size. The densities of C. abbreviata at the shallow transect fluctuated between 1.78 ind/m2 in September and 6.26 ind/m2 in May. The densities at the deep transect fluctuated between 4.23 ind/m2 in January and 7.66 ind/m2 in May. The densities of C. caribaea at the shallow transect fluctuated between 0 ind/m2 (except in September) and 0.03 ind/m2 (September) and the densities at the deep transect fluctuated between 0 ind/m2 (October to March and July) and 0.1 ind/m2 (April). Most individuals of C. abbreviata and C. caribaeameasured between 12 and 16 mm and between 10 and 15 mm long respectively.