Juvenile queen conch aggregations in the Bahamas occupy discrete areas at any given time, though these areas continually expand and shrink. Enclosure experiments showed that conch had high growth rates outside aggregation peripheries. Rates of predation on unprotected conch, however, were higher on the peripheries than in the aggregation center. Proximity to conspecifics undoubtedly enhances individual survivorship, and juvenile conch may sacrifice high growth rate for increased survivorship in aggregations.
Proceedings can be found online at http://www.gcfi.org/, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. Proceedings are not copyrighted and there is no charge for non-commercial use. However, GCFI strongly encourages individuals who wish to use figures, images or other components of a paper published in the proceedings to contact the author to receive approval. GCFI became an independent not‐for profit corporation in 1985 and is entirely supported by member contributions, grants, and subscriptions to its Proceedings. This manuscript may be cited as: Ray, M., Stoner, A. W., & Hanisak, M. D. (1999). Queen conch aggregations: differential growth, survivorship and habitat suitability within a nursery. In M. H. Goodwin & G. T. Waugh (Eds.), Proceedings of the forty-fifth annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. November 1992, 45. (pp. 918-921). Charleston, SC: The Institute.
Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution #978.