Allometric equations for maximum filtration rate in blue mussels Mytilus edulis and importance of condition index

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Authors

The relationship between body dry weight (W) and shell length (L) of blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, can be expressed by the condition index (CI = W/L3) which varies from population to population and during the year. Here, we examine the influence of CI on the relationships between maximum filtration rate (F, l h−1), W (g), and L (mm) as described by the equations: FW = aWb and FL = cLd, respectively. This is done by using available and new experimental laboratory data on M. edulis obtained by members of the same research team using different methods and controlled diets of cultivated algal cells. For all data, it was found that FW = 6.773W0.678 and FL = 0.00135L2.088 which are very similar to equations for mussels with ‘medium condition’ (CI = 4–6 mg cm−3): FW = 6.567W0.681 and FL = 0.00150L2.051, with b- and d-values within a few percent of the theoretically expected of 2/3 and 2, respectively. Further, based on the present data, we propose a correction factor expressed by the empirical relation FW/FL = 0.3562CI2/3 which implies that FW tends to underestimate the actual filtration rate (FL) when CI < 4.70 and to overestimate the filtration rate when CI > 4.70.
Original languageEnglish
JournalHelgoland Marine Research
Volume68
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)193-198
Number of pages6
ISSN1438-387X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 03.2014
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments This work formed part of the MarBioShell project supported by the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation for the period, January 2008 to December 2012. Thanks to Ana Torrano Lozano for technical assistance and to an anonymous reviewer for many careful and constructive comments on the manuscript.

    Research areas

  • Mytilus edulis, Filtration rate, Condition index, Allometric equations
  • Chemistry