Analysis and Comparison of Protected and Exploited Toothshell (Nerita scabricosta) on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Event Center B

Tooth snails, Nerita scabricosta (Gastropoda: Nertidae) are gathered for food along the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Snails reside on both vertical and horizontal surfaces of rocky intertidal beaches. We assessed snail density, size distribution, and spatial dispersion pattern of these snails at three sites with progressively decreasing levels of protection from human access.