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Email the author (Login required) Morphometry and allometry of Hexaplex nigritus (Gastropoda: Muricidae) from a coastal lagoon of the Gulf of California
Submited: 2025-07-25 23:28:55 | Published: 2025-12-23 14:40:35
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol54-issue1-fulltext-3506
Abstract
Although muricid snails are an important ecological and fisheries resource in northwest Mexico, information on their allometry and morphometry is scarce. For one year (February 2022-January 2023), 30 specimens of the “Chinese black” snail, Hexaplex nigritus (shell height = 101.4 ± 13.7 mm, total snail weight = 192.3 ± 89.1 g) were monthly collected from a coastal lagoon of the southeastern Gulf of California. The biometrics of shells (height SH, length SL, width SW, and shell opening width WSO) and operculum (height OH, length OL, and width OW) and weight variables (total snail weight TWS, total hell weight TSW, total tissue weight TTW, total gonad weight TGW, and total operculum weight TOW) of sampled snails were morphometrically analyzed. All biometric indicators of the snail shell and operculum showed significant differences (P < 0.05) monthly and presented linear and positive equations in all associations. The SH/SL relationship represents the most appropriate tool to describe the relative growth of this gastropod (coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.80), considering an empty shell; meanwhile, TWS/SL better describes the shell/weight interaction (R2 = 0.80) for live snails. The water temperature showed a positive correlation with the biometric indicators. The measurements obtained from the shell dimensions of this gastropod indicate that the sampled population consisted of adult snails. These data are fundamental for the management and conservation of this muricid species in the study area, providing valuable information for planning sustainable management strategies.
