Resumen

DEL MONACO, Carlos; VILLAMIZAR, Estrella  y  NARCISO, Samuel. Variabilidad temporal de la abundancia de Coralliophila abbreviata y Coralliophila caribaea (Mollusca, Coralliophilidae) en un arrecife coralino del Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Venezuela. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2008, vol.56, n.2, pp.501-511. ISSN 0034-7744.

Temporary abundance variation of Coralliophila abbreviata and Coralliophila caribaea (Mollusca, Coralliophilidae) in a coral reef at Morrocoy National Park. The mollusks Coralliophila abbreviata and C. caribaea are coral predators in the Caribbean Sea . We evaluated the temporal variability of abundance and size structure of C. abbreviata and C. caribaea in Cayo Sombrero, Morrocoy National Park, Venezuelar (September 2004 - August 2005). The density of C. abbreviata and C. caribaea was evaluated monthly by means of two 50- meter long transects paralell to the coast line, at 3 m and 6 m deep; aditionally, 30 individuals of C. abbreviata were collected to measure size. The densities of C. abbreviata at the shallow transect fluctuated between 1.78 ind/m² in September and 6.26 ind/m² in May. The densities at the deep transect fluctuated between 4.23 ind/m² in January and 7.66 ind/m² in May. The densities of C. caribaea at the shallow transect fluctuated between 0 ind/m2 (except in September) and 0.03 ind/m² (September) and the densities at the deep transect fluctuated between 0 ind/m² (October to March and July) and 0.1 ind/m² (April). Most individuals of C. abbreviata and C. caribaea measured between 12 and 16 mm and between 10 and 15 mm long respectively. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 501-511. Epub 2008 June 30.

Palabras clave : Coralliophila sp; corallivorous; temporal variability; abundance; size structure; Morrocoy National Park.

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