Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Allometric relationships of short neck clam Paphia malabarica from Dharmadom estuary, Kerala

Volume 55 Issue 1

Sujitha Thomas

doi: 10.6024/jmbai.2013.55.1.01755-08

Abstract

Length weight relationship and other allometric relationships were studied for shortneck clam Paphia malabarica. Lengthweight and total weight-flesh weight relationship in males and females were significantly different (p <0.01). The rate of growth in all other relationship studied were not significantly different between sexes. In length- weight relationship it showed isometric growth and in length-width and length-depth it showed negative allometric growth. The determination coefficient (r2) was higher in length-depth than in length-width relationship indicating that the shell growth in depth is less variable than shell growth in width and negative allometry
indicates that width and depth increase are inferior to length increase.

Keywords

Paphia malabarica, length weight relationship, isometric growth, negative allometry.

Date : 30-05-2013