Egg Production Measures of your own Exotic Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae regarding Brazil

Fernando L. M. Mantelatto, Vera F. Alarcon, Renata B.

Garcia, Eggs Development Measures of Tropical Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae off Brazil, Record of Crustacean www.datingranking.net/nl/meetmindful-overzicht/ Biology, Regularity twenty two, Topic dos, 1975-99990246

Conceptual

The aim of the present study was to characterize the total and seasonal fecundity of the hermit crab Paguristes tortugae as well as the influence of shell type on fecundity using the morphometric relationship. Ovigerous females were collected monthly from January to December, 1998, in the infralittoral region of Anchieta Island. Samplings were performed using SCUBA. The hermit crabs and the gastropod shells were measured. Hermit wet weight and shell dry weight were recorded. For the fecundity analysis, only ovigerous females with the eggs in the early phase of development were selected. The number of eggs carried by individuals of several sizes (shield length), condition of development, and egg size were determined. A high percentage (%) of ovigerous females with eggs in the early phase of development were captured, with a low frequency (4.29%) of females with eggs in the final stage of development. Size-frequency distribution during the months showed two peaks in the ovigerous female population (2.5 to 3.4 mm and 4.0 to 5.4 mm of SL). |$ \pm $| fecundity was |$132 \pm 102$| eggs and tended to increase with increasing SL. No significant difference in fecundity occurred among the various seasons of the year. The results showed continuous and elevated reproduction of P. tortugae, with a high reproductive potential for the population. The pattern of the frequency distribution of ovigerous females tending to bimodality may be characteristic of a population with a two-year life cycle. Considering the four shells most occupied by P. tortugae (Pisania auritula, Cerithium atratum, Morula nodulosa, and Leucozonia nassa), the highest fecundity was observed for ovigerous females occupying larger shells (P. auritula and L. nassa). The reproductive aspects of P. tortugae were related to strategies developed to compensate for interspecific competition, i.e., high and continuous reproductive effort, early maturity, low fecundity, and larger eggs produced.

Knowledge on reproductive measures of Anomura were eliciting broadening interest in view of the point that hermit crabs portray an interesting class out-of a physiological and you will evolutionary opinion ( Mantelatto and you will Garcia, 1999). This group constitutes more 800 types of the fresh new hermit crabs around the world and also gone through significant upgrade ( Ingle, 1993).

Hermit crabs represent a significant portion of the of numerous intertidal and sparingly deep benthic teams, where it gamble an important role regarding the marine system ( Fransozo and you will Mantelatto, 1998). Nevertheless, couples studies have started presented on the existence record or reproductive environment out-of hermit crabs weighed against other decapods.

Fecundity is an important factor inside the crustaceans, as well as others, to have choosing brand new reproductive prospective regarding a species and you can/otherwise of the inventory measurements of a population ( Mantelatto and you may Fransozo, 1997), perhaps outlining the newest reproductive adaptations in order to environmental requirements ( Sastry, 1983). Hermit crabs particularly, while they live in gastropod shells, afford a way to research the new communications between investment and you can reproductive strategy. Based on Wilber (1989), good woman’s layer make a difference to the girl breeding by determining if or not or perhaps not she will get ovigerous and you will/or limiting the amount of eggs introduced. Which journalist noticed several areas of new cover-size/breeding relationships, specifically towards differences in eggs development when it comes to brand new variety, dimensions, volume, and you will lbs of the layer occupied.

Eggs Development Methods of one’s Tropical Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae off Brazil

Likewise, three groups of hermit crab in particular (i.age., the fresh genera Pagurus and you will Paguristes, and also the “Pylopagurus-like” species), was in fact a difficult category to examine since of numerous kinds was identified regarding just one or a number of localities, and lots of nevertheless-undescribed types are known to occur in the spot, ultimately causing considerable identity trouble one of specialist and you can nonspecialists exactly the same ( Hendrickx and Harvey, 1999). Paguristes tortugae Schmitt, 1933, is a comparatively popular types delivered from the West Atlantic off Fl so you’re able to Brazil (just like the much southern area just like the Santa Catarina State) ( Rieger and you will Giraldi, 1997; Melo, 1999). Inspite of the pair paperwork available on the entire biology of pagurids, P. tortugae could have been apparently well-studied (come across Mantelatto and you may Sousa, in push, to have opinion).