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Shell shape, morphometrics and relative growth of four sympatric limpet species from the Algarve coast (southern Portugal)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2021

Paulo Vasconcelos Open the ORCID record for Paulo Vasconcelos [Opens in a new window] ,
Flávio Janeiro ,
Fábio Pereira ,
Paula Moura ,
André N. Carvalho  and
Miguel B. Gaspar
Paulo Vasconcelos*
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal
Flávio Janeiro
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal
Fábio Pereira
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal
Paula Moura
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal
André N. Carvalho
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal
Miguel B. Gaspar
Affiliation:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA), Avenida 5 de Outubro s/n, 8700-305 Olhão, Portugal Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
*
Author for correspondence: Paulo Vasconcelos, E-mail: paulo.vasconcelos@ipma.pt
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Abstract

This study analysed and compared the shell shape, morphometrics and relative growth of four sympatric limpet species (Patella depressa, Patella ulyssiponensis, Patella vulgata and Siphonaria pectinata) collected at Praia da Luz in Lagos (Algarve coast – southern Portugal). Morphometric relationships were established through regression analysis between linear (shell length, width and height), ponderal (total weight), area (shell base and surface areas) and volume variables (shell internal and total volumes). Relative growth (isometry vs allometry) was analysed to assess variation in the growth rate of morphometric variables throughout the species ontogeny. In addition, morphometric indices (ellipticity, conicity, density, surface area and volumetry) were calculated to further characterize shell shape. Overall, 1482 individuals with broad size and weight ranges were analysed (P. depressa = 354; P. ulyssiponensis = 306; P. vulgata = 408; S. pectinata = 414). All regressions were highly significant (P < 0.001) and the morphometric variables were strongly correlated (r = 0.761 to 0.994). Among 28 morphometric relationships, there were 14 isometries, 13 positive allometries and only one negative allometry. The morphometric indices revealed clear morphological differences between species and were mostly size-dependent, reflecting gradual changes in shell shape during growth. The main results are compared with a compilation of analogous data reported for these limpet species throughout their distributional range. Overall, the general trends in relative growth are discussed in terms of the species life habits, main traits and functional morphology.

Keywords

Algarve coastallometryGastropodaisometrymorphometric indicesmorphometric relationshipsPatellidaeshell morphologySiphonariidaesouthern Portugal
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 5 , August 2021 , pp. 791 - 800
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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Footnotes

*

These authors contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first authors of the article

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