Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Age and growth of the snail Cerithidea (Cerithidea) obtusa (Lamark) (Mesogastropoda : Potamididae)

Volume 28 Issue 1&2

P. V. Sreenivasan and R. Natarajan

Abstract

Growth of the snail Cerithidea (Cerithidea) obtusa (Lamark), was studied by population sampling and also by marking and recovery experiments. The snail grows in width of the body whorl, to 13.4, 20.0, 23.4 and 25.6 mm by the end of first, second, third and fourth years of life. No apparent seasonal variations were noticed in the growth rate. Asymptotic length (L ∞) for this species was estimated to be 27.8 mm and the Von Bertalanffy's growth equation is L_t=27.8 [(l^-e-^{0.3025 (t+0.1425})]. The population consisted mainly of the snail in the second year of life. Normal life span of this species was observed to be 5 years.

Date : 31-12-1986