First insight into the growth and population aspects of the carpet clam Paphia textile (Gmelin, 1791), the main bivalve species along the Suez Canal, Egypt

Abstract

The current study provides the first insights into the growth and population aspects of the commercial clam Paphia textile, the most abundant bivalve species produced from the Timsah Lake (TL) and Great Bitter Lake (GBL), along the Suez Canal, Egypt. An intensive study was carried out for one year (December 2019-November 2020). A total of 14,932 random clam samples were obtained from commercial catches (before size-sorting) operated at a depth of five meters. The present results revealed a positive allometric growth pattern of shell length-weight relationship for the Paphia populations. Growth parameters derived were L∞ = 69.5 & 73.9 mm, K = 0.60 & 0.51 yr⁻¹, t_o = −0.214 & −0.249, and Φ' = 3.462 & 3.445 for TL and GBL, respectively. In conclusion, the current findings revealed high mortality and exploitation levels of the venerid P. textile in TL and GBL, which highlighted the urgent need to manage this resource in its primary and exclusive areas of production along the Suez Canal.