Distribution pattern, density and growth of the stout razor clam Tagelus plebeius in a South-west Atlantic estuarine system. (12th December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lomovasky, Betina J.; Brey, Thomas; Klügel, Andreas; Iribarne, Oscar
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Volume 98:Number 3(2018)
• Page Start: 485
• Page End: 494
• Publication Date: 2016-12-12
• Subjects: Tagelus plebeius, -- razor clam, -- growth, -- age, -- Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon; Biology -- Periodicals; Marine biology -- Periodicals; 578.77
• DOI: 10.1017/S0025315416001715
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-3154

Abstract

Abstract : The population biology of the stout razor clam Tagelus plebeius is poorly understood, despite the species' current wide distribution, and the potential use of its Holocene shell deposits to infer past environmental and ecological conditions. This study investigates distribution and growth pattern of T. plebeius in the south-western Atlantic Mar Chiquita Coastal lagoon (37°32′S 57°19′W), Argentina. The population includes the oldest individuals (up to 27 years) reported so far with shell length up to 77.9 mm. A von Bertalanffy model with L ∞ = 67.60 mm (95% CI = 64.55; 70.64), k = 0.181 year −1 (CI = 0.142; 0.218), and t 0 = −0.77 (CI = −1.46; −0.08) best described their individual growth for the whole population. The higher density, growth rate k, t 0 and maximum age and lower L ∞ were in the low intertidal rather than in the medium intertidal, but there were no differences in density and age between medium and high intertidal. Given the results and the current knowledge on the effects of different factors influencing this species, we conclude that the distribution pattern and shell growth observed in our study reflect a response to metabolic necessities in combination with a strong influence of biological interactions.