GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE GRAPSID CRAB PLAGUSIA DENTIPES (DECAPODA: BRACHYURA)
1997; Oxford University Press; Volume: 17; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1163/193724097x00133
ISSN1937-240X
AutoresShinji Tsuchida, Seiichi Watanabe,
Tópico(s)Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
ResumoGrowth and reproduction of the grapsid crab Plagusia dentipes were examined from February 1990 to January 1991 at Banda, Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Ovigerous females occurred from October-December. Small juveniles recruited from April-June. It was concluded that the duration of the larval stages was at least 6 months. After settlement, juveniles of approximately 7-mm carapace width reached 25-30-mm carapace width by October. A section of this cohort matured through a puberty molt in October-November of that year. At the puberty molt, secondary sexual characteristics, such as the elongation of the chela in the male and the enlargement of the abdomen in the female, occur. The brood size of these females ranged from 10,000— 50,000 eggs. Growth stopped during the winter from December-February and progressed with a rise in water temperature after March. In autumn, both crabs that matured and those that failed to mature in the previous year participated in reproductive activity. Females recruited in the previous year breed probably twice in a season and spawn 100,000-200,000 eggs at a time. Females reproduced in their third autumn. However, further growth and reproduction after this were not clarified in this study.
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