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Contribution to the knowledge of benthonic macromollusks associated to pepitona, Arca zebra (Swainson, 1833), in the natural bank of Chacopata, Araya Peninsula, Venezuela

Abstract:

As part of a monitoring program of the marine areas at northern of Sucre state, Venezuela, we examined the malacological diversity of macromollusk associated to ark shell, Arca zebra, located in the natural bank of Chacopata. Monthly sampling was made from January to March 2006. A total of 31 species were identified belonging to 21 families of 4 classes of mollusk that included 12 species of bivalves, 17 gastropods, one cephalopods and one poliplacophoro. Parameters of numeric diversity were low (H' = 1.907 to 2.034 bits/ind; J'= 0.591 to 0.649; IS = 0.209 to 0.258), while the dominance oscillated between 35.99 and 43.61%. Alpha index of the logarithmic series model fluctuated between 4.819 and 6.917. The scarce monthly variation confirms previous research and they indicate that the community structure is stable. Fourteen constant species were determined being those more abundant the bivalves Arca zebra, Chama congregate y Chama sarda, while the gastropods were Chicoreus brevifrons and Crepidula ausitulata. Arca zebra was the dominant species in number and occupied a central role in the community, supporting one of the most important fisheries in the area.