[Chemical and nutritional composition in the marine snail Strombus gracilior (Mesogastropoda: Strombidae) of various sizes and sexes in Playa Panamá, Costa Rica].

74 individuals of "cambute" (Strombus gracilior), were collected in Playa Panamá (10 degrees 35' 45"N, 85 degrees 40' 09" W), Costa Rica. The sex ratio was 1:1 and the size range 70-80mm (total length). The yield was 80% of edible meat. The average values of the macroconstituents to both sizes were: water 72.6% males and 70.9% females; 19.09g% protein in males and 26.89g% in females; carbohydrates 1.85g% males and 1.35g% females; 0.44g% crude fiber both males and females; within ashes there wre variations (2.30-3.71g%) among size and sex. Fat reached a maximum value of 0.94 and 0.91g% (length 80mm) for males and females respectively. In minerals, maximum values for the Na and K of 1440.88 and 1898.33 micrograms/g respectively were obtained for 80mm males; females of the same size showed values of 1376.97 micrograms/g for the Na and of 2393.09 micrograms/g for K; the other minerals (Cu, Mg, Fe) had lower values in relation to the above but the normal according to the literature.