Research articles
ScienceAsia 35 (2009): 315-319 |doi:
10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2009.35.315
Distribution, biology, and stomach contents of paper nautilus (Argonauta hians) in the Andaman Sea
Charuay Sukhsangchana,*, Shettapong Meksumpuna, Jaruwat Nabhitabhatab, Susumu Segawac
ABSTRACT: Paper nautilus (Argonauta hians) were collected from fish markets and the bycatch of purse seiners operating in the Andaman Sea, Thailand. All specimens were mature females with egg cases with developing eggs inside. The distribution of paper nautilus was found between 7°30′24′′–8°13′22′′ N and 97°01′50′′–98°55′48′′ E around Phangnga, Phuket, and Krabi provinces, south of Thailand. All the specimens were female with average shell size of 20.6±5.4 mm, average mantle length of 31.0±6.5 mm, and average body weight of 6.4±3.6 g. The relationship between mantle length (ML, mm) and fecundity is expressed as Fe=268ML−4428 (R2=0.44, p<0.05, n=368) and between weight (W, g) and fecundity is Fe=538W+573 (R2=0.50, p<0.05, n=368). The average fecundity of paper nautilus was 4160±1770 eggs/batch, with high fecundities observed during the months of January, February, and December. Length at 50% maturity was estimated to be 20.1 mm (mantle length), whereas 27.5 mm would be the estimated length for a fully matured female. The stomach of A. hians contained crustaceans, cephalopods, and fish.
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| a |
Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Fisheries, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand |
| b |
Center for Biodiversity of Peninsular Thailand, Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkhla University, Songkhla 90112, Thailand |
| c |
Department of Ocean Sciences, Faculty of Marine Science, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan |
* Corresponding author, E-mail: charuay44@hotmail.com
Received 27 Apr 2009, Accepted 24 Nov 2009
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