Size distribution of Strombus luhuanus Linnaeus, 1758 in Oma coastal waters, Central Maluku, Eastern Indonesia

Abstract

Strombus luhuanus is a marine mesogastropod known as strawberry conch belongs to the Strombidae family. This species is consumed by the coastal community in Maluku province and collected by people at various shell size. The objective of this research was to determine the temporal size distribution and the size difference between its sexes. Sampling was conducted in Oma coastal water, Central Maluku, Eastern Indonesia. A specimen of S. luhuanus collected randomly during low tide from April to July 2018. Some characters of S. luhuanus were measured including shell length, shell width, spire height, and lip thickness. The result of this research showed that shell length of this species varied between 30.81 mm and 55.20 mm; the shell width varied from 16.33 mm to 32.25 mm; its spire height varied between 5.00 mm and 15.20 mm, while the lip thickness varied from 0.10 mm to 5.54 mm. The average of shell length, shell width and spire height of S. luhuanus were high in June sampling period compared to another sampling periods, whereas lip thickness of this species was high in July sampling. Based on its sex, the shell size parameters measured in our study were higher in female specimen than the male one. The size groups of this gastropods were dominated by 38.79-47.39 mm in shell length. Lip thickness of the shell showed that S. luhuanus was in developing stage of growth in this study and S. luhuanus showed sexual dimorphism.

Estimation of Individual Growth of Titanostrombus galeatus (Strombidae: Gastropoda) at Punta Maldonado, a Fishing Community in Tropical Eastern Pacific, Mexico

“…In both Titanostrombus galeatus and other Strombidae species (Arroyo-Mora & Mena 1998, Arroyo-Mora 2008, Haumahu et al 2020), males are more abundant than females. This difference in favor of males may be related to reproduction because, in reproductive months and during courtship, groups of up to five males per female have been observed (Arroyo-Mora & Mena 1998).…”