Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

The autecology of the edible oyster Crassostrea cucullata Born, 1778: size related vertical distribution at Mkomani, Mombasa
Okemwa, E. N.; Ruwa, R. K.; Polk, P. (1986). The autecology of the edible oyster Crassostrea cucullata Born, 1778: size related vertical distribution at Mkomani, Mombasa. Kenya J. Sci. (B Biol. Sci.) 7(2): 9-14
In: Kenya journal of sciences. Series B. Biological sciences. Kenya National Academy for Advancement of Arts and Sciences: Nairobi. ISSN 0250-8265, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Saccostrea cuccullata (Born, 1778) [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal

Authors  Top 
  • Okemwa, E. N.
  • Ruwa, R. K., more
  • Polk, P.

Abstract
    The littoral oyster Crassostrea cucullata occurs between 1.05-3.35 m above chart datum with the highest density occuring between 1.85-2.75m. Its distribution is size-related as demonstrated by computation of correlation coefficients (r) and regression equations. The shell lengths (i.e. maximum linear dimension) decreases in an upshore direction. The analysis show high r-values which are significant at p<0.001. The equations and the r values are as follows: 1. for the lower level oysters between 1-1.85 m: y = 43.64-6.49 x, r = -0.659;2. for the mid-level oysters between 1.86-2.75 m: y = 62.67-17.14 x, r = -0.941; and 3. for the high level oysters between 2.76- 3.35 m: y = 91.44-24.85 x, r = -0.899; where y stands for the mean shell length (mm) and x is the mean height (m) above datum. The elevation and density related effects on the shell lengths of the oysters are discussed.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors