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Growth and longevity of the mud snail Batillaria attramentaria

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Abstract

Batillaria attramentaria (Sowerby), a recent introduction to North America from Japan, occurs on tidal mudflats from California to British Columbia. A population of this deposit-feeder was followed for 10 yr on Galiano Island, British Columbia by recovering marked individuals and by following shifts in size-frequency distributions. Growth as well as erosion pattern and age class analysis indicate that the average size of B. attramentaria in the first 6 yr of life is 3, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 18 mm in length and that longevity falls between 6 and 10 yr. Recruitment of young B. attramentaria occurred every year. The key to B. attramentaria's success must lie in its combination of both a relatively predictable annual recruitment and a moderately long longevity.

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Author notes

  1. S. Behrens Yamada

    Present address: School of Oceanography, Oregon State University, 97331, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Wellesley College, 02181, Wellesley, Massachusetts, USA

    S. Behrens Yamada

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  1. S. Behrens Yamada
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Communicated by S. K. Pierce, College Park

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Yamada, S.B. Growth and longevity of the mud snail Batillaria attramentaria . Marine Biology 67, 187–192 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401284

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401284

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