Growth of the intertidal snail, Monodonta labio (Gastropoda, Prosobranchia) on the Pacific coast of Central Japan

Growth of the trochid snail Monodonta labio was investigated by individual marking on a Pacific coast rocky shore of Honshu, central Japan. Growth rates of small sized M. labio were greater during summer to fall than during winter. However, the growth of large sized M. labio did not fluctuate all year round. Estimated growth curves were gained from growth data of monthly recaptured M. labio. From the estimated growth curves it was showed that newly recruited M. labio (1.6 mm in shell height) grew 10.3 mm at 1 yr after recruitment, 16.7 mm after 2 yrs, 20.2 mm after 3 yrs, 22.6 mm after 4 yrs, 24.4 mm after 5 yrs and reached the maximum size at the study shore of 25.0 mm after 5 yrs 2 mo.