Pages
pp. 69 -
90

A brief review of distirbuiton of populations of Rapana venosa in the World Ocean is presented. Short information concerning the formation of metapopulation of R. venosa in the Black Sea and taxonomical history of the species are given. The ecomorphs found off Crimean shores were examined with the emphasis to ecological conditions. It has been demonstrated that presently Rapana metapopulation in the Black Sea consists of numerous populations which differ primarily in conchological characters and size structure. Trophic specialization entails appearance of dwarf forms and influences formation of shell coloration. Studies of protoconchs allowed to conclude that colour pattern is determined on the earliest stages of shell development and later is influenced by environmental factors during the shell growth. The shell characters were compared in several Rapana populations and intrapopulation variability, age and sexual differences were demonstrated. Starting in 2007 the relative shell growth has been increasing despite the normal tendency of slowing of the growth rate with age. This phenomenon is connected with improvement of ecological situation in general, and, the most important, with increasing of forage reserve of Rapana. The pathways of infraspecies forms formation are presented in relation to possible scenarios of environmental changes.

Морфогенез раковины и внутривидовая дифференциация рапаны Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)
Бондарев И.П.;