Age, growth and first maturity in the Patagonian snail Adelomelon ancilla: tools for managing a vulnerable resource

ZABALA S.; PENCHASZADEH P.E; PANARELLO, H.O.; BIGATTI, G.

MALACOLOGIA

INST MALACOL

Lugar: Philadelphia; Año: 2013 vol. 56 p. 215 - 229

0076-2997

Life history parameters, including size-age, production, mortality and size at reproductivematurity, were studied on the edible snail Adelomelon ancilla to provide useful management . Adelomelon ancilla  growth model. Size at which 50% of the population matured was 73.5 mm in males (7 years) and 93.5 mm in females (9 years). The long lifespan of this species is comparable to other large gastropods, in particular volutids from southern Atlantic Ocean. Longevity, low somatic production, low population density, late reproductive maturity and direct development with  A. ancilla a vulnerable resource that will require a proper managementapproach incorporating estimates of these life history parameters.