Abstract
The distribution of the common cockle Cerastoderma edule was studied in Levrier Bay, Mauritania, at the southern margin of its range. The populations of the common cockle in Levrier Bay are located in the littoral zone of two closed bays, both with minimum surf and a reduced tidal influence. Mainly sandy and, to a lesser extent, sandy-silt grounds serve as habitats. The morphological peculiarities, the size–weight structure, abundance, and biomass of the common cockle populations were studied, analyzed, and compared for areas of commercial harvesting of this mollusk and in pristine areas. The abundance and biomass of benthic organisms accompanying the common cockle are also presented.
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Notes
The littoral zone is accepted here as the ecological zone of the seabed, flooded at high tide and drained at low tide, located between the water level at the lowest tide and the water level at the highest tide; most of the littoral zone is covered with seawater and exposed to the air twice a day.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful to A. Corten (the Netherlands, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies) for invaluable help.
Funding
The data analysis and preparation of the article were conducted within the framework of a State Assignment of the Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, registration no. 0149-2019-0008.
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Gushchin, A.V., Goudswaard, P.C. Distribution of the Common Cockle Cerastoderma edule (Linnaeus 1758) (Molluska: Bivalvia) in the Littoral Zone of Levrier Bay, Mauritania. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 48, 959–966 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S106235902107013X
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S106235902107013X