Length-weight relationship study of mangrove clam Geloina proxima (Prime-1864) of Dapoli Coast of Ratnagiri District

Abstract

Mangrove clam Geloina proxima is one of the dominant indigenous bivalves of Ratnagiri Coast. The study of Length-weight relationship of clam G. proxima was carried out during July 2017 to June 2018 to understand growth rate and its pattern. Average total length for males and females recorded was 65.40 mm and 65.25 mm, respectively, which is also supported by the calculation of the weight studies. It is interesting to note that in G. proxima, irrespective of the sex, there is a coordination between the length and weight relationship. In the present study significant difference was observed between the length-weight relationship to weight relationship of male and females of G. proxima. Analysis of results for length-weight relationship in G. proxima indicates negative allometric growth pattern. It is observed that weight of G. proxima bears a curvilinear relationship with the length that becomes linear on logarithmic transformation. The value of correlation coefficient in males was r = 0.97 while the same in females were r =0.98, which were found to be statistically highly significant. The coefficient of determination r2 is an indication of goodness of fit of regression to the observed data. The closer it is to 1, the better is the fit.