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Radula morphology in veined rapa whelks, Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)(Gastropoda: Muricidae) from Chesapeake Bay, USA
Harding, Juliana Gera, Stefanie Mann, Roger
Harding, Juliana
Gera, Stefanie
Mann, Roger
Abstract
Radula length, width, number of transverse rows of teeth, and rachidian tooth dimensions (central cusp height, central cusp base width, and rachidian tooth base width) were examined in relation to leined rapa whelk shell length. Radula length and width increase linearly with whelk shell length. The number of transverse rows of radular teeth increase with whelk shell length. Within an individual, central cusp height of the rachi- dian tooth increases with increasing distance from the anterior of the radula. Central cusp height of the rachidian tooth, an indicator of tooth wear or use, was least for teeth in rows 1 and 11. Teeth in radular row 21 appear to be in a transition zone from high to low wear or use. Within a radula and within a size class, the ratio of central cusp base width to rachidian tooth base width does not change. Central cusp base width, central cusp height and rachidian tooth base width were significantly smaller in females than in males indicating sexual dimorphism in rachidian tooth shape for rapa whelks. Patterns of wear as indicated by central cusp base width to central cusp height ratio values were not significantly different between sexes and may serve as an indication that feeding strategies and/or prey may be similar between animals of different sex but similar size. Additional Keywords: Neogastropoda, rachidian teeth, allometry, ontogeny
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2008
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Natural Resources