Growth rates and longevity of some gastropod mollusks on the coral reef at Heron Island.

Information on growth, gained from individually marked animals, is provided for at least one species of each of the families Trochidae, Neritidae, Strombidae, Cypraeidae, Thaisidae, Fasciolariidae, Vasidae and Conidae. Except in the cowries and strombs, which have determinate growth, shell growth is adequately described by a von Bertalanffy curve only to a certain point. Beyond this, growth continues slowly and at a rate that is independent of size.