Correlation and path analysis of quantitative traits of different-month Soletellina diphos

To investigate the correlation between morphological traits and body mass in Soletellina diphos, 50 individuals from the 6-month-old, 12-month-old, and 18-month-old populations were selected, and four quantitative traits, including shell length (SL), shell height (SH), shell width (SW), and body weight (BW), were measured. Correlation analysis and path analysis methods were employed to calculate path coefficients and determination coefficients for body weight across different age groups. Correlation analysis revealed that the highest correlation coefficient between SL and BW was observed in the 6-month-old and 18-month-old populations (P<0.01). Multiple regression analysis yielded regression equations for each age group: BW₆=−1.336 + 0.020SL + 0.146SW + 0.081SH, R²=0.976; BW₁₂=−29.701 + 0.584SL + 0.695SW, R²=0.972; BW₁₈=−88.160 + 1.140SL + 1.660SW, R²=0.911. Path analysis identified SW as the primary determinant of BW in the 6-month-old population (0.466), while SL played a predominant role in the 12-month-old and 18-month-old populations (0.753 and 0.705, respectively). Determination coefficient analysis corroborated these findings. This study furnishes foundational data for the conservation and exploitation of S. diphos germplasm resources.