FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70, NO. 4 



X 100) varies seasonally with the reproductive 

 status of the adult oyster. The condition index 

 was not measured in the present study, and no 

 significant seasonal variations were found in 

 any of the relationships. 



It is interesting that in the present study no 

 significant diflFerences were found in the height/ 

 length relationships for intertidal and subtidal 

 oysters. Glaser (1903), Orton (1936), Gunter 

 (1938), and Galtsoff (1964) have noted differ- 

 ences in the long axis length/short axis width 

 relationship for intertidal and subtidal oysters 

 and have offered various reasons for these dif- 

 ferences. 



From the practical aspect, height appears to 

 be the most useful parameter to predict other 

 biomass parameters because of high coefficient 

 of determination values in those relationships 

 utilizing height and less time necessary to make 

 each measurement. 



In conclusion, quantitative relationships be- 

 tween various parameters of size can be different 

 for oysters from intertidal or subtidal environ- 

 ments. These difl^erences are important func- 

 tionally in the biology of the organism and prac- 

 tically as predictive tools for ecological investi- 

 gations. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



The author wishes to thank Dr. F. John 

 Vernberg for his advice and counsel during this 

 study. The staff of the Belle W. Baruch Coastal 

 Research Institute and the Computer Center at 

 the University of South Carolina provided 

 valuable assistance. Meri Dame and Carol 

 Drowota were most helpful in editing this man- 

 uscript. 



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