Abstract

Queen conch grow in shelllength only until the onset of sexual maturity. Adults do not grow in shell length but in shell-lip thickness. Growth of juvenile and adult queen conchs was studied in a population off Xel-ha, Quintana Roo, Mexico over a nine month mark-recapture study. Data consisted of length and lip thickness increment information from recaptured individuals.\Growth was modelled using the von Bertalanffy growth function. The parameters k (growth coefficient) and Loa (asymptotic length) were estimated by two methods: 1) Gulland and Holt Plot, and 2) Fabens' least squares method. The third parameter, to cannot be estimated without specific size at age information. A total of 1,443 growth increments in length and 720 in lip thickness from 470 individuals were recorded and used for growth parameter estimation. Resulting parameter estimates with Fabens' method were comparable to literature values for other locations. Estimates for adult growth were high with both methods compared to other studies. The separation into two different life-history stages for this species was clear

PDF Preview