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Observation on the community structure of brown mussel Perna indica from the intertidal rocky shores of Vizhinjam, southwest coast of India

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Title Observation on the community structure of brown mussel Perna indica from the intertidal rocky shores of Vizhinjam, southwest coast of India
 
Creator Pillai, C S G
Jasmine, S
 
Subject Molluscan Fisheries
 
Description The percentage occurrence by weight of the brown mussel as Perna indica well as the various
associated organisms in the community from an intertidal rocky habitat of Vizhinjam for the various
months is estimated. The associated organisms on the mussel ccmmunity include, algae, sponges,
sea anemones, planarians, polychaetes, sipunculids, amphipods, isopods, cirriped, crabs and gastropods.
The percentage biomass of associated organisms range from 2 to 12.29 in the mussel community
in various months. Cirriped form the most dominant biofouling organism on mussel. The community
starts establishing on the onset of SW monsoon. A clear or distinct succession of associated
organisms on the mussel was not observed in various months or season, though the biomass was found
to fluctuate without any aistinct trend, in various months. The population of mussel is multimodal
in size. The length ranges from 2 mm to 54 mm in a population of nearly one year old. The rate
of growth of mussel in the intertidal area is estimated to be 5 mm in the first few months and 4 mm
per month in the latter part of the first year. The mortality rate is not estimated though assumed to
be of high order judging from the presence of dead attached shells among the living ones. Some
modes remain without registering any growth for a period. In the present study the estimated grovrth
rate is only for one year since second year population could not be analysed due to total exploitation
of the community from the site of collection by local people. It was observed that wherever, there
is a profuse settlement of Cellana radiata, Balanus amphitrite or thick algal growth on the rocks the
mussel was virtually absent or scarcely populated. However Balanus amphitrit coula establish on
mussel very successfully. The influence of pre-existing population of Cellana radiata and B. triteamphi
on the settlement of brown mussel spat is not ascertained. Rocks on the lower intertidal zones
have denser population of mussels than on upper ones that are subjected to more prolonged exposure
at low tides.
 
Publisher MBAI
 
Date 1991
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Identifier http://eprints.cmfri.org.in/833/1/Gopi_Jas_159-165.pdf
Pillai, C S G and Jasmine, S (1991) Observation on the community structure of brown mussel Perna indica from the intertidal rocky shores of Vizhinjam, southwest coast of India. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 33 (1&2). pp. 159-165.