Variability in low tide populations of tuatua, Paphies donacina, in Pegasus Bay, Canterbury, New Zealand

Abstract

Paphies donacina (Spengler, 1793) populations were surveyed at 11 low tide sites on surf beaches along Pegasus Bay, Canterbury, New Zealand, during summer 1998. Random sampling was not feasible. At the non‐random sites chosen the average number of tuatua per 5 m of shoreline ranged between 0.1 and 62. Total wet weight biomass m^‐2 was highest at the southern sites in the Bay. There were site‐related differences in length frequency distributions of tuatua populations. Northern populations included a wide length range and southern populations were dominated by larger bivalves. Average shell length increased significantly with distance south, being close to 40 mm at Waikuku and 80 mm at Taylors Mistake. The shell length: width and weight relationships were similar for tuatua collected over the whole geographic range. Average dry weight condition index varied significantly between sites (ANOVA F= 23.3, d.f. = 10, 329) depending on the length distribution of the contributing population. Where populations included a wide length range the condition index was positively correlated with shell length but in populations dominated by larger bivalves there was either no relationship or a negative relationship with shell length. Juvenile tuatua were found at average densities between 81 and 1200 m^‐2 at all sites except Taylors Mistake. The mean length of recruits ranged from 2.2 to 3.1 mm and shell length was independent of both juvenile and adult density. These results are discussed in relation to the environmental and other factors thought to influence population structure and recruitment of tuatua in Pegasus Bay.

Keywords:

• Paphies donacina
• tuatua
• population structure
• condition index
• Pegasus Bay, Canterbury