scholarly journals Variability in Carcinus maenas Fecundity Along Lagoons and Estuaries of the Portuguese Coast

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
João N. Monteiro ◽  
Andreia Ovelheiro ◽  
Ana M. Ventaneira ◽  
Vasco Vieira ◽  
Maria Alexandra Teodósio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Somatic Growth ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Egg Weight ◽  
Ria De Aveiro ◽  
Portuguese Coast ◽  
Ria Formosa ◽  
Wet Weight ◽  
Lower Temperature

AbstractAlthough Carcinus maenas as a species is widely studied, research focusing on fecundity is still scarce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate size-fecundity relationships across different lagoons and estuaries, along the Portuguese coast, to understand how the local environment affects reproductive patterns. Between 2019 and 2020, ovigerous females were collected from the Southern (Ria Formosa and Ria de Alvor), Central (Rio Sado) and Northern regions (Ria de Aveiro) of Portugal, and the fecundity of each female was estimated by counting and weighing eggs. Morphometric relationships (carapace width–egg counting; egg counting–egg weight; body wet weight–egg weight; carapace width–body wet weight) were inferred from 180 egg-bearing females with a carapace width between 26.96 and 61.25 mm. A positive correlation between fecundity and the morphological parameters was observed. Differences in fecundity were found among all systems, from northern to southern Portugal, varying between 22121 and 408538 eggs per female. Furthermore, a regional gradient was observed across regions, with lower temperature estuaries (Ria de Aveiro) displaying an increase in fecundity. The fecundity in Rio Sado was also affected by salinity. Fecundity differences across regions were associated with hydrodynamics, temperature, and salinity differences among systems. No statistically significant differences were observed between Carapace Width—Body Wet Weight regressions performed in each studied system, indicating that, contrary to fecundity, the somatic growth of C. maenas is not affected by latitudinal or environmental conditions.

The Parasitic Rhizocephalan Barnacle Sacculina Carcini in Crabs of the Forth Estuary, Scotland

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 665-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Mathieson ◽  
A.J. Berry ◽  
S. Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Width ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Size Class ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Lower Estuary ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Sacculina Carcini ◽  
Middle Estuary

In the Forth Estuary, Scotland, parasitic rhizocephalan barnacle Sacculina carcini externae or scars occurred on 64% of Carcinus maenas from the subtidal channel of the middle estuary. These became more frequent downstream, infecting 46·9% in the lower estuary basin. Male and female crabs were infected equally, and infection rates in low-tide samples did not differ from high-tide. The parasites occurred most frequently on crabs of 40–50 mm carapace width (CW) rather than the modal crab size class of 50–60 mm. Downstream, proportionately more smaller than larger crabs bore parasites whereas, further upstream, more larger than smaller crabs bore parasites. There is evidence for the annual appearance of new externae in July-October, especially in the lower estuary basin, followed by their growth and loss after about a year.

scholarly journals Influence of temperature on intraspecific, unbalanced dyadic contests between crabs

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7845
Author(s):  
Allan T. Souza ◽  
Felipe O. Ribas ◽  
João F. Moura ◽  
Claudia Moreira ◽  
Joana Campos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
The Body ◽  
Shore Crab ◽  
Temperature Conditions ◽  
Red Color ◽  
Shore Crabs ◽  
Influence Of Temperature On ◽  
Globally Distributed

Intraspecific agonistic interactions are widespread across the animal kingdom, with many individual morphological and physiological characteristics playing important roles in the fate of disputes. Additionally, changes to environmental conditions can influence the outcomes of animal contests. The shore crab (Carcinus maenas) is a globally distributed species, present in numerous coastal and estuarine temperate systems around the world. Although shore crabs are highly tolerant to changes in temperature, this parameter has important physiological effects on the species’ ecology, while its effects on behavior are not fully understood. Our study aims to investigate how different individual characteristics (such as sex, color morphotype, carapace and chela morphology) and temperature conditions affect the dyadic interactions between shore crabs when disputing food resources. In general, the differences in carapace width between opponents, their sexes, color morphotypes and the temperature conditions interacted and were important predictors of the contest fate. We found that the body size and color morphotype of C. maenas determined the fate of dyadic disputes. However, the higher temperatures disrupted the well-established dominance of the larger red color morphotype individuals. Overall, the agonistic contest results suggest higher plasticity than previously acknowledged.

Implications of habitat-specific growth and physiological condition on juvenile crab population structure

2008 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valter Amaral ◽  
Henrique N. Cabral ◽  
José Paula
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Condition ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Marine Invertebrate ◽  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Early Juvenile ◽  
Abundance Patterns ◽  
Sandy Habitat ◽  
Survival Potential ◽  
Competition For Resources

Post-settlement processes can regulate the size and structure of marine invertebrate and fish populations. Faster growth and better physiological condition generally increase the survival potential of early juveniles, being usually associated with structurally complex habitats. Successive cohorts of early juvenile Carcinus maenas were followed in sandy and seagrass (Zostera noltii) habitats in the Mira Estuary, Portugal, to estimate growth and physiological condition (evaluated by RNA/DNA ratio) of juvenile populations. Mean cohort growth was similar in both habitats. However, in the sandy habitat, population size structure progressed to cohorts of larger carapace width (CW) and the RNA/DNA ratio was always higher than in the Z. noltii habitat. In this habitat, cohorts of low CW prevailed throughout and RNA/DNA ratio only increased after ~5.0 mm CW. Higher densities characterising seagrass areas may result in higher competition for resources, limiting growth and condition and leading to dispersal to less populated habitats. Larger juveniles had the best physiological condition, especially early in the season. Seagrass habitats do not necessarily yield enhanced growth rates and physiological condition of early juvenile crabs in relation to sandy areas. Knowledge of such trends is vital to understand distribution and abundance patterns of fish and marine invertebrate populations.

The presence of Macromedaeus distinguendus (De Haan, 1835) (Brachyura, Xanthidae) in the shallow hydrothermal vent system off northeastern Taiwan

Crustaceana ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
pp. 879-895 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-Chun Tseng ◽  
Parinya Limviriyakul ◽  
Ping-Ho Ho ◽  
Jiang-Shiou Hwang
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Hydrothermal Vent ◽  
Carapace Width ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Extreme Environment ◽  
First Record ◽  
Habitat Partitioning ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
Brachyuran Crab ◽  
Wet Weight

Abstract The present study investigated the population of the xanthid brachyuran crab, Macromedaeus distinguendus (De Haan, 1835), at a toxic hydrogen sulfide, shallow hydrothermal vent area at Turtle Island, off northeastern Taiwan. This is the first record of this species from this extreme environment, and M. distinguendus is only the second brachyuran discovered in this area. The wet weight of male and female M. distinguendus varied from 0.11 to 1.22 g (mean ± standard deviation: 0.56 ± 0.39 g) and 0.06 to 0.62 g (0.37 ± 0.15 g), respectively. The wet weight: carapace width ratio was significantly correlated in both sexes. The local distribution patterns of M. distinguendus were different from those of the obligate hydrothermal crab Xenograpsus testudinatus N. K. Ng, J.-F. Huang & Ho, 2000 (Xenograpsidae) in this area. An analysis of resource use and habitat partitioning revealed that the two crab species were able to co-exist within the study area.

Condition factor and carapace width versus wet weight relationship in the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis

2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad Noori ◽  
Parvaneh Moghaddam ◽  
Ehsan Kamrani ◽  
Arash Akbarzadeh ◽  
Bita Kalvani Neitali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Condition Factor ◽  
Carapace Width ◽  
The Body ◽  
Swimming Crab ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Weight Relationship ◽  
Wet Weight ◽  
The Persian Gulf ◽  
Portunus Segnis

The size-weight relationship of a species allows for estimating the expected weight based on size. The present contribution aims at evaluating the body weight vs. carapace width relationship and the condition factor of the blue swimming crab Portunus segnis. These characteristics were analyzed for each sex using specimens collected monthly from April 2012 through to March 2013, at the Persian Gulf (Hormozgan Province, Iran). The size of each specimen was measured (carapace width) and weighed (total body wet weight). A total of 302 individuals of P. segnis were analyzed. The body weight-carapace width relationship indicated positive allometric growth in males and isometric growth in females. Body weight was higher in males than females of equivalent carapace width, and the means for condition factors were always higher in females than in males, due to the heavier gonads in the former, an expected pattern for many crabs. In both sexes, the lowest condition factor was detected in winter with an ascending trend in the next seasons. The oscillation in condition factor throughout the sampling year was more prominent in females and related to the reproductive cycle. The information reinforces data to define fishing closed seasons for this portunid that is used in many places in the world.

Seasonal fluctuations of tissue mercury contents in the European shore crab Carcinus maenas from low and high contamination areas (Ria de Aveiro, Portugal)

2006 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1450-1457 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Pereira ◽  
S.N. Abreu ◽  
J.P. Coelho ◽  
C.B. Lopes ◽  
M.A. Pardal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Shore Crab ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuations ◽  
Ria De Aveiro

Contaminant effects in shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) from Ria Formosa Lagoon

2009 ◽  
Vol 189 ◽  
pp. S152
Author(s):  
Vera Maria ◽  
Maria Ana Santos ◽  
Maria João Bebianno
Keyword(s):  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Ria Formosa ◽  
Shore Crabs

Invasive green crab, Carcinus maenas, on the Atlantic coast and in the Bras d'Or Lakes of Nova Scotia, Canada: larval supply and recruitment

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 847-855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Cameron ◽  
Anna Metaxas
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Carapace Width ◽  
Carcinus Maenas ◽  
Green Crab ◽  
Larval Supply ◽  
Surface Salinity ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
European Green Crab ◽  
Tidal Signal

Patterns in larval supply and recruitment of the invasive European green crab, Carcinus maenas, were examined at two sites in Nova Scotia, Canada: a typical Atlantic coastal site with high salinity (∼33) and strong tidal signal (Terence Bay); and a microtidal site in the Bras d'Or Lakes, where surface salinity fluctuated from 0 to 23 (Benacadie Pond). Abundance of all life history stages (zoeae, megalopae, juveniles and ovigerous females) was sampled approximately biweekly at each site from June 2001 to June 2002. The reproductive season, based on the presence of ovigerous females, is ∼5 months (June to October) at both sites. Zoeae-I were collected from June to July 2001 and in June 2002 at Terence Bay, and from June to August 2001 at Benacadie Pond. We did not collect later zoeal stages at either site. Megalopae were collected from September to October 2001 at Terence Bay, and from August to September 2001 at Benacadie Pond. Juveniles 1–6 mm carapace width (CW) were present throughout the summer at Terence Bay, and only in autumn at Benacadie. Juveniles 6–12 and 12–27 mm CW were present throughout the summer and autumn at both sites. At Terence Bay, densities of 1–6 and 12–27 mm CW juveniles did not vary among intertidal zones. In contrast, the 6–12 mm CW size-class appeared to move higher in the intertidal through the season, possibly due to effects of predation.

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