Abstract: Growth mode, foraging activities and reproductive characteristics of Cronia margariticola(Gastropoda:Muricidae)were investigated in the rocky intertidal seashore of Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan. C. margariticola, which reached sexual maturity at about 16mm in shell height, was found to have a distinct annual reproductive cycle. Mounting was frequent in May and June, and oviposition, primarily into beds of the mussel Hormomya mutabilis, took place during June and July. Feeding was observed from April through October, but was restrained during the peak reproductive season. Monthly size distribution showed that the growth rate was decelerated after achieving sexual maturity size. Growth measurement of tagged animals revealed that juveniles continued growing from March through January, taking 2 to 3 years to reach adult size after hatching. In contrast, adults grew from July through January and reached the peak in August and September, allocating energy obtained by feeding for reproduction in the spring and for growth in the fall. This energy allocation strategy was discussed with relation to the seasonal fluctuation of the availability of food resource for C. margariticola, which usually employs a parasitic foraging strategy.
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