Abstract

Studies on the distribution and growth of the mud mussel, Musculista senhousia, were carried out in the mud-tidal flat near Mokpo from August 1996 to July 1997. The patch distribution of the mussel was observed in the middle part of the tidalflat during the study period. Annual mean density was 8,215<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>1,394 ind./m2 and annual mean biomass was 1,966.43<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>668.49 g TWwt/m2 in total wet weight, 760.04<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>279.13 gMWwt/m2 in meat wet weight, 209.93 <TEX>${\pm}$</TEX> 49.41 gMDwt/m2 in meat dry weight, and 109.66<TEX>${\pm}$</TEX>58.78 gAFDW/m2 in ash-free dry weight. The monthly mean size of shell length varied from 11.00 mm to 16.97 mm. Relationship between shell length (SL) and shell height (SH) showed a positively significant regression (SH=0.482SL+0.791, R2=0.940, P<0.001). Regressions of total wet weight (TWwt) (TWwt=7.601<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>10-5SL3.052, R2=0.905, P<0.001), and meat wet weight (MWwt) (MWwt=1.127<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>10-5<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>SL3.404, R2=0.784, P<0.001) on shell length were positively allometric, with highly significant correlation coefficient. The relationships between SL and meat dry weight (MDwt), and AFDW were MDwt=9.813<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>10-6<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>SL2.928 (R2=0.421), and AFDW=1.015<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>10-5<TEX>${\times}$</TEX>SL2.922(R2=0.810), respectively. The condition factor of the mussel has been increased from March and formed a peak in July and August. It was sharply dropped in September. These results suggest that the gonadal development of the species commenced to be occurred in spring and that main spawning occurred between August and September.