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Mass Migration of Juvenile Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) in the Bahamas
Lipcius, Romauld Stoner, Alan Marshall, Livingston S. Bardales, Ana T.
Lipcius, Romauld
Stoner, Alan
Marshall, Livingston S.
Bardales, Ana T.
Abstract
We summarize the available information for a mass migration of juvenile queen conch in the Bahamas. The migration was observed from April through June, 1987 over a large seagrass meadow and adjacent sand-algal plain at 1-5 m depths. Component aggregations ranged from 40-190 m in length and 1-6 m in width, with a maximum density of 319 conch/m2. Migrants averaged 101 mm in shell length, which ranged from 67-145 mm, and were of a similar size as non-migrants in the area The migration was directional towards ebb tidal flow and moved approximately 250 m, at rates of 2.7 - 4.8 m/d, from April until its dissociation in June. Given the characteristics of the migrants and aggregations, we conclude that a key function of the mass migration was as a dispersal mechanism for asynchronously emerged l+ year class of juvenile queen conch; other potential functions include reduction of predation-induced mortality and efficient utilization of food resources.
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1991
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gcfi_40_31_lipcius.pdf
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Fisheries Science Peer-Reviewed Articles
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Virginia Institute of Marine Science