Biometric Relationships and Evaluation of the Density of Tagelus angulatus Gray, 1847 (Mollusca, Solecurtidae) on the West African Coasts in Three Villages of the Community Protected Area of Urok, Guinea-Bissau

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to examin the biometric relationships, size frequencies and density of Tagelus angulatus in the Community Marine Protected Area of the Bijagós Islands of Guinea Bissau. Methodology: Sampling was carried out in three villages (Formosa, Nago and TChediã) of the Community Marine Protected Area. A total of 1596 individuals were collected. On each mudflat, four random transects 30 m apart and oriented from the shore to the sea were established. On each transect, individuals of Tagelus angulatus were collected on 6 plots of 1m2 that were separated by 10 m. Results: The length of the individuals sampled ranged from 12 mm to 69 mm in all three of the villages studied with an average length of 48.65 ± 9.53 mm and a main mode equal to 53 mm. The results showed a positive allometry. The length and width of the species are also strongly correlated. The mean density for all three villages was 16.63 individuals. Conclusion: Management of the shellfish industry generally requires the knowledge and use of biometric relationships to translate data collected in the field into indicators that can be used for the development of management plans. This study provided knowledges on biometric relationships and density of Tagelus angulatus.