PRODUCTION AND RECUPERATION TIME OF THE I NK OF PLICOPURPURA-PATULA-PANSA (NEOGASTROPODA, MURICIDAE) IN JALISCO, MEXICO

Collections of all sizes of the snail Plicopurpura patula pansa in two rocky beaches of Bahia Cuastecomate, Jalisco (19 degrees 14'00'' N, 1 04 degrees 45'50'' W) and the manual extraction of its dye during May, August and November (1987) and April (1989) indicated that there was a proportional relationship between the size of the snail and the amou nt of dye produced. Females produced more dye than males of the same s ize. This difference may be related to the way in which the females us e the dye, particularly to protect the egg capsules laid among rocks i n the beaches. A number of snails were tagged and confined in cages pl aced in intertidal peals to study recovering time of dye to original l evels. Recovering time was shorter in larger snails. Individuals large r than 5 cm recovered in 7 days; smaller individuals, after 15-21 days . These results help to establish better criteria for the exploitation of P. p. pansa in Jalisco.