Abstract

PRIETO, Antulio; MARCANO, Jesús; BARRIOS, Alexander  and  GONZALEZ, Luis. Somatic production and mortality in a population of the clam, Asaphis deflorata, in locality of Caurantica, Gulf of Paria, Sucre state, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.4, pp.419-426. ISSN 0798-7269.

The somatic production, mortality and the length-dry mass relationships of wild population of the clam Asaphis deflorata from Caurantica, located in the southern coast of peninsula of Paria, Venezuela was studied. Samples were collected monthly from March 2005 until March 2006 using a stratified random sampling with a quadrate of 0,25 m². Monthly dry mass average was 20,08 g/m², with a mean density of 71,63 ind/m² that changed significantly with time. Growth parameters according to the von Bertalanffy equation estimated from the size frequency distributions were: L∞=72,75 cm and K=0,72. The instantaneous mortality rate Z was 2,81/year, equivalent to an annual mortality rate of 94%. A somatic production of 38,06 g/m^-2 year^-1 was obtained with the weight specific growth rate method and the greatest production values were obtained for bivalves 38,00 to 46,00 mm in length. The annual turnover rate P/B was estimated as 1,90/year, indicating that the population has potential to almost double the biomass yearly

Keywords : somatic production; mortality; Asaphis deflorata; Paria Gulf; Venezuela.

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