Abstract

To investigate the growth characteristics of the Cardiidae Keenocardium buelowi naturally inhabiting the coastal waters near Yokjido, a total of seven sampling surveys were conducted using a dredge net from May 2024 to January 2025. During the summer, a strong thermocline was observed. However, by November, the thermocline had broken down, resulting in a uniform water temperature of around 21°C throughout the water column, which led to an increase in bottom water temperature. Consequently, a notable decline in the distribution density of younger individuals was observed in December. Among the condition indices, the fatness index was found to reflect the condition of the population more sensitively. Growth curve analysis indicated that the theoretical maximum shell length (L∞) was 75.005 mm, the growth coefficient (K) was 0.363/year, and the theoretical age at zero shell length (t0) was 0.09394 years. The theoretical maximum total weight (W∞) was estimated at 104.38 g. The expected lifespan of the species was assessed to be approximately 6.54 years.