Zonation-Related Alteration in Shell Morphology of Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) Distributed in the Mersin Coastline (Mersin Bay, NE Mediterranean Sea) Shell Morphology of Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) Distributed in the Mersin Coastline
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Abstract
In this study, it was aimed to examine the zonation-related changes in the shell morphology of Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) belonging to the Patellidae family of the Archaeogastopoda (Thiele, 1925) order, which is distributed along the Mersin coastline. The research area consists of three regions of 4 m2 covering the supralittoral at sea level and the mediolittoral and infralittoral zones below the sea water level determined from the Mersin Viranşehir coast. A total of 80 individuals were sampled from the study area. Species identification of the samples brought to the laboratory was made by considering the morphological appearance of the radula teeth. In addition, the Shell morphology of all individuals was determined. Finally, the statistical analysis of the data was evaluated by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the relationship between the variables by calculating the Pearson linear correlation coefficient. In the study, no individuals belonging to the P. caerulea were found in the supralittoral zone of all three areas of 4 m2. It was determined that all individuals collected from the mediolittoral and infralittoral zone belonged to the P. caerulea species. Morphometrically, individuals of P. caerulea distributed in the infralittoral zone were larger than those distributed in the mediolittoral zone (p<0.01). According to the shell shape analysis findings, individuals sampled from the mediolittoral zone had a narrower, elliptical shell, with the apex closer to the center. In contrast, individuals sampled from the infralittoral zone had a wider, ovule, and the apex was asymmetrical near the anterior end. Individuals sampled from both zones did not differ in terms of conicity (p>0.01). The shell surface area and shell volume of individuals sampled from the infralittoral zone are larger than those sampled from the mediolittoral zone.
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