Molluscan resources of Kali river estuarine system in Karnataka

Abstract

The present work has shown that there is an organized clam fishery for Meretrix meretrix, Paphia malabarica and Villorita cyprinoides in Kali River. The three species of clams show differential distribution. Paphia malabarica is confined to lower reaches of river from the river mouth to Nandangadda where salinity is 33.44%o suggesting that this species has distinct preference for areas where salinity is high. Meretrix meretrix occurs over a distance of 6.25 km from Nandangadda where the salinity is 30.82%o to Kinnar where the salinity is 8.76%o. Villorita cyprinoids is distributed only in low salinity areas in the upper parts of the river from Botjug to Mallapur where salinity is uniformly low fluctuating between 5.7%o and 0.24%o indicating that this species thrives well in low salinity conditions. During the survey conducted in November- December, 1978 observations were made on the environmental conditions, species composition of the molluscan resources, their distribution pattern, exploitation and marketing and the findings are presented in this paper.