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For the management of molluscan stocks, knowledge of various population parameters and exploitation level of the population are needed. The present study assessed the population dynamics on the rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata (Born, 1778) in Karnataka State, south India. The specimens of S. cucullata were collected from Baindur rocky beach at monthly intervals from June 2010 to May 2011. Asymptotic length (L∞) estimated was 57.8 mm and growth coefficient (K) was estimated at 1.4 year-1. The sizes attained were 45.30, 54.72 and 57.04 mm at the end of first, second and third years of age, respectively. Total mortality (Z) was 5.24 year-1. Natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were 1.40 and 3.84 year-1 respectively. The life span of S. cucullata was estimated as 2.5 years approximately. Exploitation level (E) was computed as 0.73, indicating that the fishery of S. cucullata in the coastal waters of Karnataka Is overexploited.

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Taxonomy, length-weight relationship, food and feeding habits of flower moon crab Matuta planipes Fabricius, 1798 from coastal waters of Gopalpur, Odisha, India ABSTRACTThe relationship between carapace length (CL), carapace width (CW) and total weight (TW) in the flower moon crab Matuta planipes Fabricius, 1798 was studied and found to be CL = 0.144+1.319 CW and CL = 0.356+1.273 CL for males and females respectively. In case of the carapace width and total weight, the relationships were: TW = 0.272 CW 3.011 and TW = 0.474 CW 2.555 for males and females respectively. The relationships of carapace length and total weight were: TW = 0.128 CL 2.917 for males and TW = 0.184 CL 2.650 for females. A linear pattern was found between the relationship of CL and CW for M. planipes, whereas a curvilinear pattern was found between the relationship of CL/CW and TW in the present study. It was also observed that M. planipes is an opportunistic omnivore, seaweed being the most dominant food item followed by crustaceans, seagrass, amphipods and miscellaneous matter.