scholarly journals Relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of Uca cumulanta (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae) from a tropical Brazilian mangrove population

Author(s):  
Bruno Gabriel Nunes Pralon ◽  
Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo

The relative growth of the fiddler crab Uca cumulanta was studied, primarily to determine the size at the onset of sexual maturity for a mangrove population in the estuary of the Patitiba River, Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. The evaluation of the morphological sexual maturity of U. cumulanta was performed using the allometric technique. The relationships that most precisely indicated the size at onset of sexual maturity were carapace length (CL) vs propodus length for males and CL vs abdomen width for females. Males and females are mature at 5.25 and 4.75 mm CL, respectively. The remarkable ontogenetic changes observed in the allometric growth of the male major cheliped and the female abdomen, indicate that growth of these structures is closely connected to the timing of sexual maturity. The relative size at onset maturity obtained for this species was 0.68 and this index was compared to that seen in other species in the genus.

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela da Silva Castiglioni ◽  
Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo

A study on the relative growth of two populations of Uca rapax (Smith, 1870) was performed primarily to determine the size at onset sexual maturity. The species was sampled monthly in Itamambuca (23º24'43"S and 45º00'73"W) and Ubatumirim (23º20'17.8"S and 44º53'2.2"W) mangroves. Carapace width (CW) and length (CL), abdomen width (AW), major cheliped propodus length (PL) and height (PH) for each sex, and gonopod length (GL) for males were measured with a calliper (0.01 mm). Allometric analyses were used to estimate size at maturity. The relationships that most precisely indicated the size at onset of sexual maturity were AW vs. CW, for females and PL vs. CW, for males. Males and females are mature, respectively at 15.2 and 12.1 mm CW in samples from Itamambuca and 13.5 and 11.2 mm CW in samples from Ubatumirim mangrove. Positive allometric growth of females abdominal width is likely related to the incubation process, while positively allometry growth of male's cheliped almost certainly relates to reproductive behaviour.


2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Setuko Masunari ◽  
Salise Brandt Martins ◽  
Murilo Zanetti Marochi ◽  
Wilson Sebastián Serra ◽  
Fabrizio Scarabino

Abstract A comparative study on size and shape of Leptuca uruguayensis was carried out between populations from Garças River, Brazil (BP), and Solís Grande River, Uruguay (UP). The size of the onset of sexual maturity was also estimated for UP. A total of 36 crabs BP and 387 crabs UP were analyzed. In the relative growth analysis, carapace width (CW) for both sexes, major cheliped length (LMC) for males and abdomen width (AW) for females were measured. The centroid size of carapace (1.40±0.19 cm BP and 1.88±0.30 cm UP) and cheliped (1.16±0.22 cm BP and 1.58±0.45 cm UP) differed significantly (p<0.001). The shape also differed significantly (p<0.001), having UP wider carapace than BP, rostrum projected forward and posterior margin positioned more anteriorly; the cheliped of UP was also wider than BP. In UP, males' CW ranged 4.28-19.5 mm and females' 2.53-16.3 mm CW; males' LMC ranged 1.79-31.60 mm and females' AW, 0.80-8.53 mm. The onset of sexual maturity of UP was estimated in 12.20 mm CW for males and 7.81 mm for females. These differences are likely related to abiotic variables acting distinctly in the two localities.


Crustaceana ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
pp. 1221-1241 ◽  

AbstractThe study of relative growth was used to determine the dimensions that best demonstrate the morphological sexual maturity of Ucides cordatus from two mangrove areas (Ariquindá and Mamucabas) of the southern coast of the state of Pernambuco, northeast Brazil. The crabs were collected manually, with a capture effort by one person, during low tide in three different areas (each 25 m2) during a period of one year from April 2008 to March 2009. Crabs of both sexes were measured for the following dimensions: carapace width (CW); carapace length (CL); major cheliped propodus length (CPL); major cheliped propodus height (CPH); abdomen width (AW) and gonopod length (GL). These variables were subjected to an analysis of K-means clustering followed by a bivariate discriminant analysis, which separated the data into two groups: juveniles and adults. After separation of the groups, each age category was grouped into sixteen size classes of CW and the proportion of adults in each size class was calculated, and fitted to a logistic equation. Subsequently, an interpolation was performed to determine the size at which 50% of the males and females were mature. The relationships that best demonstrated the size at maturity were CPL vs. CW for males (Positive allometry; Ariquindá — juveniles b = 1.27, adults b = 1.41; Mamucabas — juveniles b =1.27, adults b = 1.44) and AW vs. CW for females (Positive allometry; Ariquindá — juveniles b = 1.34, adults b = 1.28; Mamucabas — juveniles b = 1.32, adults b = 1.44). The present analysis indicates that, for these same relationships, 50% of males and females are morphologically mature, at, respectively, 38.0 and 35.4 mm CW in Ariquindá, and 37.3 and 32.9 mm CW in Mamucabas. Positive allometry shown in the female abdomen is related to egg incubation, and the excessive growth observed in the male cheliped must be related to reproductive behaviour, including courtship and intra- or inter-specific agonistic interactions with other males.


Crustaceana ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 88 (9) ◽  
pp. 963-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abner Carvalho-Batista ◽  
Regis A. Pescinelli ◽  
Joyce R. Garcia ◽  
Pedro G. M. Guerra ◽  
Luis M. Pardo ◽  
...  

The present study analyses the cryptic colouration patterns in mud crabs, Panopeus americanus that live in an impacted intertidal mangrove area. The main objectives were to identify the cryptic/non-cryptic transition sizes (males and females) and their relationships to morphological and functional sexual maturity. Individuals were collected from the remnant mangrove of Araçá, on the coast of São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil. They were sexed, measured and classified into three colouration categories: white homogeneous, cryptic heterogeneous or dark homogeneous (non-cryptic). A logistic regression was performed to detect the size at which 50% of the population reached the dark homogeneous colouration and functional sexual maturity in females. Morphological sexual maturity for both sexes was estimated through relative growth. A progressive change from heterogeneous to dark homogeneous colouration following growth was observed. Using both analyses of maturity, we detected (1) that individuals of the white homogeneous colouration can be classified as non-reproductive and (2) that there is an overlap between the size at which 50% of females reached the dark homogeneous colouration and their functional sexual maturity (approximately 14.00 mm CW). These findings are primarily explained by ontogenetic changes in habitat use during the species’ life cycle.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5026 (4) ◽  
pp. 480-506
Author(s):  
LAURA A. MICHIE ◽  
R. S. K. BARNES ◽  
PAUL F. CLARK ◽  
WAYNE A. BENNETT ◽  
SIMON M. CRAGG

Ten species of fiddler crab are reported inhabiting the intertidal zone of a shore on Kaledupa Island, Indonesia. This is one of the highest recorded numbers of fiddler crab species living in sympatry, equating to over two-thirds of those known from the Wallacea biogeographic region and more than half of all those recorded from Indonesia. The descriptions to identify and distinguish these ten species are provided using a suite of characters e.g., carapace, major cheliped, male gonopods, gastric mills, life colouration in males and females, and notes on their ecology and distribution. Specimens were observed and collected in the Wakatobi National Park, near the village of Ambeua on Kaledupa island, Sulawesi Tenggara, Indonesia. Gastric mills are described for the first time for Gelasimus jocelynae, Paraleptuca crassipes, Tubuca coarctata, T. demani and T. dussumieri. A tabulation of anatomical features and colouration for all species in this study is provided as a support for field studies. It identifies features that support the recently proposed taxonomic revision of fiddler crabs by Shih et al. (2016).  


2019 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caio dos Santos Nogueira ◽  
Marcela Silvano de Oliveira ◽  
Giuliano Buzá Jacobucci ◽  
Ariádine Cristine de Almeida

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to estimate the morphological sexual maturity of Macrobrachium brasiliense (Heller, 1862) and to analyze the relative growth of the species. During one year of sampling, from July 2012 to June 2013, 199 specimens were collected in a stream located in a Cerrado biome, in the Triângulo Mineiro region, state of Minas Gerais. Once identified and sexed, the length of the carapace, the length of the segments of the chelipeds (ischium, merus, carpus, propodus and dactyl) and width of the pleura were measured (mm). The maximum and mean sizes of the carapace length measured 20.5 mm (Mean: 9.6 ± 4.2 mm) and 20.1 mm (Mean: 7.7 ± 3.4 mm) for males and females, respectively. The propodus length for males, and the pleura width for females, were used for the classification of the specimens into juvenile and adult, using K-means analysis and discriminant analysis. The relative growth of the species was also evaluated through covariance analysis for all structures (ANCOVA, α = 0.05). In females, the growth of most structures occurred equally between juveniles and adults, with the exception of the merus and pleura structures. On the other hand, the growth of almost all structures of males differed between juveniles and adults. Only the carpus and the pleura growth were similar. We also estimated the size at onset of morphological sexual maturity at 8.64 mm CL for males (CL50% r = 1.71) and 8.03 mm CL for females (CL50% r = 0.07). Our results contribute to the understanding of some important questions related to the reproductive biology of M. brasiliense. We noted that males grow differently from females and become the largest individuals in the population, resulting in a sexual dimorphism. Such sexual dimorphism might promote the development of the temporary mating guarding behavior, a reproductive strategy very important for caridean shrimps.


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. e20195908 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caio Dos Santos Nogueira ◽  
Júlia Fernandes Perroca ◽  
Emerson Luiz Piantkoski ◽  
Rogerio Caetano da Costa ◽  
Fabiano Gazzi Taddei ◽  
...  

During the ontogenetic development of crustaceans, the relative growth of some structures may change, especially during the transition from juvenile to adult. This study describes the relative growth of body structures of Macrobrachium iheringi, and provides information on its population dynamics, such as structure, fecundity, and morphological sexual maturity. The sampling of M. iheringi was carried out in “Ribeirão da Hortelã”, in Botucatu (SP, Brazil). The length of the carapace (CL), abdomen (AL), and ischium (IL), merus (ML), carpus (CrL), propodus (PpL), and dactyl (DcL) of the second right pereopod were measured. In addition, the width of the second abdominal pleura (PW) and propodus height (PpH) were included in analyses. The relationships that best demonstrated the changes in the allometric coefficient were CL vs PpL in males and females. The CL, in which males and females reach morphological sexual maturity, was estimated as 13.3 mm and 11.1 mm, respectively. The sex-ratio differed from the expected 1:1 and was skewed towards females. Precipitation and temperature influenced the abundance of different demographic classes. Macrobrachium iheringi has few but large eggs, which is expected since this species has an abbreviated larval development. Based on these results, we conclude that the propodus are good indicators of the size at onset of morphological sexual maturity. In addition, important information was obtained on the biology of M. iheringi, including its life cycle pattern, reproduction and influence of abiotic factors.


Author(s):  
Gustavo Luis Hirose ◽  
Vivian Fransozo ◽  
Carolina Tropea ◽  
Laura S. López-Greco ◽  
Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo

Some crustaceans show variations of their reproductive biology within their geographical distribution, and knowledge about such variations is important for the comprehension of their reproductive adaptations. This study compared two populations of the fiddler crab Uca uruguayensis from two locations on the south-western Atlantic coast: Ubatuba Bay, São Paulo, Brazil and Samborombón Bay, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The population features analysed were the body size variation (carapace width = CW) and the size at the onset of sexual maturity (SOM) in order to test the hypothesis that the size at SOM, should be the same in relative terms (RSOM), independently of the latitudinal position. In the Brazilian population the CW ranged from 4.18 to 11.60 mm for males and 3.90 to 9.80 mm for females, and in the Argentinean population from 3.60 to 14.10 mm for males and 2.85 to 12.00 mm for females. In the Brazilian population the SOM was 7.1 (RSOM = 0.58) and 5.9 mm CW (RSOM = 0.57) for males and females, respectively, and in the Argentinean population it was 7.0 (RSOM = 0.42) and 6.75 mm CW (RSOM = 0.53) for males and females, respectively. This fact is probably related to a great plasticity in the life history features of Uca uruguayensis under different environmental conditions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 863-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
SF Frigotto ◽  
MZ Marochi ◽  
S Masunari

A study on the relative growth of the crab Acantholobulus schmitti (Rathbun, 1930) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Panopeidae) was performed with allometric techniques. The species is associated with lanterns used for oyster farming at Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil. Crabs were obtained from five lanterns from March through December 2009. The following morphological characteristics were measured: the carapace width (CW), the height and length of the major cheliped propodus (LPH and LPL), the width of the female abdomen at the base of the 4th somite (AW) and the length of the male gonopod (GL). A total of 1,004 individuals of A. schmitti were measured, of which 451 were males, 323 non-ovigerous females and 230 ovigerous females. The CW of the males varied from 1.87 to 11.86 mm, that of non-ovigerous females from 1.44 to 8.77 mm and that of ovigerous females from 4.09 to 11.12 mm. The plot of LPH against CW showed a mean inflection point at 3.67 mm CW for the males. This result indicated that male crabs are juvenile below this value and adult above it. For the females, the corresponding inflection point occurred at 3.36 mm CW in the plot of AW against CW. These results, CW x LPH and CW x AW, highlight the importance of chelae enlargement at the onset of maturation in males. Similarly, the widening of the abdomen in females is required to accommodate egg clutches during the reproductive period. Heterochely was recorded in both sexes. Right-handed crabs were more frequent than left-handed ones, with percentages of 75.8% in males and 82.7% in females. The population of A. schmitti from Guaratuba Bay becomes sexually mature at an earlier age than A. schmitti from the coast of São Paulo state. The lanterns used in oyster farming furnish a safe habitat in which these crabs can spend their entire benthic life.


2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTEO T. WATANABE ◽  
FERNANDO J. ZARA ◽  
GUSTAVO Y. HATTORI ◽  
ALEXANDER TURRA ◽  
BRUNO S. SANT'ANNA

A marine biological invasion is a natural process accelerated by human activities, and the crab Charybdis hellerii is an example of a globally widespread invasive species. This study evaluated color variation in C. hellerii and its relationship to the sex, size and sexual maturity of these crabs, and compared the efficiency of a freeware digital image-editing program with a commercially available program. The color of the individuals was analyzed using standardized digital images. The color pattern varied significantly with size; smaller and immature individuals were darker than larger and mature ones. The female abdomen changed in morphology and color with sexual maturity, becoming wider and orange-colored. There was no statistical difference in the color values between males and females and immature males did not show morphological or color differences in their abdomen. This study highlights the possible relationships of the color and physiological state of the reproductive system, which could help in future studies of behavior, avoiding the need to dissect and/or remove individuals from nature for assessment of sexual maturity. The freeware program showed the same efficiency in digital image analysis as a widely known commercial program.


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