Growth and production of the amphipod Parhyale basrensis (Talitridae) in the Shatt al-Arab region

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Life history data for the intertidal amphipod Parhyale basrensis Salman was collected, from April 1983 to September 1984, from an area near the Al-Chibassy tributary of the Shatt al-Arab hver at Basrah. Iraq. Population density in the Shatt al-Arab region ranged from 928 to 12 512 m-2 and mean annual density was 3842 m-' Growth rate of the generation which survived only the summer was 0.027 mm d-' for males and 0.026 mm d-' for females, and of the over-wintered generation was 0.024 and 0.019 mm d-' for males and females respectively. Mortality rate was higher amongst the over- wintering generation (0.200 yr-') than the summer generation (0.048 yr-'). Mean annual biomass of the population was 1.82 g dwt m-2, annual production was 5.58 g dwt m-' and P:B ratio was 3.06.