Eggs Production Methods of the Exotic Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae of Brazil

Fernando L. Yards. Mantelatto, Vera F. Alarcon, Renata B. Garcia, Eggs Development Procedures of one’s Tropical Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae off Brazil, Record out of Crustacean Biology, Regularity 22, Question 2, 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). |$ <\rm>\pm <\rm>$| 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.

Education into the reproductive strategies out-of Anomura were eliciting increasing demand for view of the reality that hermit crabs depict an fascinating group out-of a physical and you may evolutionary thoughts ( Mantelatto and you can Garcia, 1999). This community constitutes over 800 species of the hermit crabs of the globe and has experienced big change ( Ingle, 1993).

Eggs Development Steps of your Tropical Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae from Brazil

Hermit crabs portray an essential part of the many intertidal and you will sparingly deep benthic teams, where it gamble an important role regarding the aquatic food chain ( Fransozo and you will Mantelatto, 1998). Nonetheless, couples studies have become presented towards the existence records otherwise reproductive environment off hermit crabs compared with most other decapods.

Fecundity is an important factor in crustaceans, as well as others, to own choosing the reproductive prospective out of a kinds and you may/otherwise of your own inventory measurements of a people ( Mantelatto and you may Fransozo, 1997), maybe detailing the latest reproductive changes so you’re able to environmental requirements ( Sastry, 1983). Hermit crabs particularly, because they inhabit gastropod shells, afford an opportunity to research this new interaction anywhere between capital and you will reproductive method. Predicated on Wilber (1989), good female’s cover could affect the girl reproduction because of the choosing whether or perhaps not she will get ovigerous and you may/or restricting what number of egg delivered. That it creator felt multiple FatFlirt iÅŸe yarıyor mu areas of the latest cover-size/reproduction dating, especially concerning the variations in eggs creation with regards to the fresh variety, size, frequency, and you can pounds of the cover filled.

Simultaneously, around three categories of hermit crab particularly (i.age., the new genera Pagurus and you can Paguristes, while the “Pylopagurus-like” species), were an emotional group to analyze because many types are identified of one otherwise a number of localities, and some however-undescribed types are known to occur in the location, leading to considerable identity troubles certainly gurus and you can nonspecialists similar ( Hendrickx and Harvey, 1999). Paguristes tortugae Schmitt, 1933, try a comparatively common variety distributed from the Western Atlantic regarding Florida to help you Brazil (due to the fact far southern area because Santa Catarina Condition) ( Rieger and Giraldi, 1997; Melo, 1999). Regardless of the couples files on the entire biology out-of pagurids, P. tortugae could have been apparently well-studied (select Mantelatto and you can Sousa, within the press, for remark).