REPRODUCTIVE SEASONALITY, PERIODICITY, AND ASSOCIATED BEHAVIOR IN A COLONY OF STROMBUS-PUGILIS (MOLLUSCA, GASTROPODA) IN PUERTO-RICO

This work focused on defining seasonal reproductive dynamics and indiv idual reproductive behavior for the West Indian fighting conch, Stromb us pugilis Linne, 1758, in Puerto Rico. A colony of S. pugilis was fol lowed from September 1987 to September 1989. For both years, reproduct ive activity began in March, when water temperature rose, and ended in November, when temperature dropped. By December, the entire colony ha d buried and remained so until re-emergence in February. During the re productive season, mating and spawning activity occurred on a monthly basis with some irregularity. The monthly periodicity was significantl y correlated with the lunar cycle, with peak spawning occurring in the second week following a full moon. Observations of conch held in an o utdoor tank at the laboratory showed that winter burial, spring emerge nce, and reproductive seasonality and periodicity coincided with the s ame events in the field, despite a different ambient temperature regim e.