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NOTES ON THE DISTRIBUTION AND BIOLOGY OF GALATHEIDAE AND CHIROSTYLIDAE (DECAPODA: ANOMURA) FROM THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC BIGHT

1982; Oxford University Press; Volume: 2; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1163/1937240x82x00491

1937-240X

Elizabeth L. Wenner,

Marine Biology and Ecology Research

ABSTRACT Twelve species of Galatheidae and one species of Chirostylidae numbering 6,928 individuals were retrieved from trawl collections made on the continental shelf, slope, and rise in the Middle Atlantic Bight. The most abundant species collected was Munida iris iris which constituted >90% of the total catch of galatheoidean anomurans. Three other species (Munidopsis rostrata, Munida valida, and Munida longipes) comprised > 1% of the total number of Galatheoidea. The bathymetric distribution of Munidopsis spp. was confined to depths >500 m, whereas all except two Munida spp. were collected from the continental shelf and upper slope. Munida spp. and Eumunida picta produced large numbers of small eggs, whereas eggs from Munidopsis spp. were large and few in number. Ovigerous females of all species examined, except Munida microphthalma and Eumunida picta, had larger carapace lengths than males and other females. For most species, there was little evidence of reproductive seasonality since ovigerous females were collected throughout the year; however, ovigerous females of Munida longipes, Munidopsis bairdii, and Eumunida picta were collected only in fall or winter. Parasites of Galatheoidea were mainly bopyrid isopods and rhizocephalan barnacles. The incidence of parasitism was low for all species examined.