Study on the Age and Growth of Marine Gastropod Ficus ficoides (Lamarck 1822) from Thirumullaivasal, Southeast Coast of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were performed by length based method to determine the age of the Ficus ficoides. Three parameters have been estimated and that the values of male F. ficoides was L∞ =73mm and 74 mm for female, the age at the origin of the growth curve (to) for male 2.67mm and for female was 2.78mm and estimated co-efficient of catabolism (k) was 0.280 and 0.282 for male and female respectively. Male attained a length of 32.93, 64.05, 70.9, 72.89mm in 0.08, 0.3, 0.5, 1.08 years. The females recorded a growth of 33.4, 68.5, 72.77, 73.89mm in the year0.08, 0.4, 0.7, 1.08 years respectively. The growth performance index (φ’) was 3.72 for male and 3.74 for female. FiSAT package ELEFAN-I attempted and the highest score obtained was 0.196 (k=0.430 year-1; Rn=0.093, SL=37.50) for male and it was 0.253 (k=0.789 year-1; Rn=0.098; SL= 42.50) for female. The life span (Tmax) estimated is 3.84 years for male and 6.97years for female. The present study age and growth estimated in comparison with existing evidences