Dimensiones de la concha del mejillón <i>Mytella strigata</i> Hanley (Bivalvia: Mytilidae), de la playa de Lepanto, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Resumen

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.