Estrutura populacional e distribuição sazonal de Callinectes ornatus (Decapoda; Brachyura; Portunidae) no litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Callinectes ornatus tem sua distribuição geográfica no Atlântico ocidental: da Carolina do Norte até a Florida, golfo do México, Antilhas, Colômbia, Venezuela, Guiana e Brasil (Amapá ao Rio Grande ao Sul), ocorrendo em fundos de areia, lama e águas menos salinas podendo alcançar 75 metros de profundidade (Melo, 1996). Essa espécie tem um papel importante na teia trófica marinha, pois possui o habito carnívoro oportunista alimentando se também de detritos, assim controlando a estrutura de várias comunidades bentônicas (Haefner, 1990; Mantelatto & Christofoletti, 2001; Mantelatto et al., 2002). O presente estudo aborda as populações de C. ornatus que vivem no infralitoral não-consolidado das regiões das Ilhas do Mar Virado e das Couves, localizadas no litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo, e teve por objetivo a caracterização dos períodos de recrutamento e reprodutivos da espécie baseado na presença de jovens/adultos e fêmeas ovígeras respectivamente. Os dados utilizados nesse estudo foram coletados do Verão de 1998 á Primavera de 1999 no infralitoral não consolidado das Ilhas do Mar Virado e das Couves totalizando dois anos. As amostragens foram realizadas mensalmente, com auxilio de um barco de pesca equipado com duas redes do tipo “double-rig”. O total coletado durante os dois anos foi de 1164 animais. Os menores indivíduos machos e fêmeas encontrados na Ilha do Mar Virado apresentam os seguintes tamanhos respectivamente 22,2 mm e 17,7 mm, já na Ilha das Couves foram de 20,2 mm e de 32,3 mm. Foi obtido um total de 12 classes de tamanho, com 5,0 mm de amplitude. As duas primeiras classes foram ocupadas apenas por indivíduos jovens já as cinco ultimas principalmente por indivíduos adultos e fêmeas ovígeras. Para os indivíduos machos adultos foi possível observar o deslocamento de modas da Primavera de 1998 à Primavera de 1999... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Impacto geno e citotóxico em populações do caranguejo-uçá, Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Ucididae), em manguezais do estado de São Paulo, Brasil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Diversidade e distribuição de siris (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae) e dinâmica populacional de Callinectes ornatus no litoral norte de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Morfologia do primeiro estágio juvenil de quatro espécies de caranguejos Leucosioidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura), com proposta de padronização para as descrições dos estágios iniciais em Decapoda

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assessment of reproductive capacity in females of Smith, 1869 (Brachyura, Portunoidea) during a period of high reproductive activity

The reproductive capacity of the swimming crab Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 was assessed based on the reproductive investment (RI) of ovigerous females and the gonadosomatic index (GI) of non-ovigerous adult females. Crabs were collected in June 2009 with a shrimp fishing boat at Ubatuba (23° 26′S 45° 02′W) São Paulo, Brazil. Overall, 191 adult females were analyzed, of which 108 were ovigerous and 83 non-ovigerous. The size of ovigerous females ranged from 54.5 to 79.8 mm carapace width (CW) and non-ovigerous females ranged from 56.0 to 80.9 mm CW. RI values did not differ among the size classes (ANOVA, p > 0.05), with an overall mean of 15.8%. The same occurred with the Gonadossomatic index for non-ovigerous females, for which the mean value was 11.7%. The regression between the dry weight of the egg mass and the dry weight of the crab (Student’s t, p = 0.25; ttab = 1.66; tcal = 0.66) indicated an isometric relationship for the variables analyzed. The simultaneous occurrence of gonadal maturation and embryonic development in ovigerous females suggests that these crabs may spawn at least twice in the same breeding season and reveals the need for evaluation of the allocation of energy in subsequent spawns.

Can the pattern of juvenile recruitment and population structure of the speckled swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius (Decapoda: Brachyura) be determined by geographical variations?

This study evaluated the effect of environmental stimuli and selective pressures in different geographical areas along a latitudinal gradient, on the juvenile recruitment, population structure, and sex ratio of the speckled swimming crab Arenaeus cribrarius. Samples were collected monthly during 1 year in three locations along the Brazilian coast: Macaé, state of Rio de Janeiro (MAC, 22°47′ S, 41°45′ W); Ubatuba, São Paulo (UBA, 23°27′ S, 44°58′ W); and São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina (SFS, 26°08′ S, 48°34′ W). The specimens of A. cribrarius were identified, counted, sexed, and measured for maximum carapace width (CW). The largest juvenile found was in UBA (47.7 ± 1.36 mm); and the largest adult females and males in MAC (74.26 ± 0.93 and 77.04 ± 0.79 mm, respectively). Recruitment in MAC was continuous, whereas in UBA and SFS, recruitment showed seasonal characteristics. The sex ratio was skewed toward females only in UBA; in MAC and SFS, males and females were present in equal proportions. These results indicate that geographical variations can cause differences in the recruitment and population structure of A. cribrarius. These regional differences call attention to the necessity for improved management plans and control of shrimp fishing, which can affect population patterns such as juvenile recruitment, population structure and life history of the target species and species that are caught in bycatch from shrimping, such as the swimming crab A. cribrarius.

Assessment of reproductive capacity in females of Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 (Brachyura, Portunoidea) during a period of high reproductive activity

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reproductive Plasticity in the Speckled Crab Arenaeus cribrarius (Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae) Associated with a Population Decline

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Meat yield of the mangrove crab, Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Ucididae)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of the mangrove crab Aratus pisonii (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae) on the southern coast of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reproduction and management of the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea, Brachyura, Ucididae) at Iguape, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Zoeal stages and megalopa of Mithrax hispidus (Herbst, 1790) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Majoidea: Mithracidae): A reappraisal of larval characters from laboratory cultured material and a review of larvae of the Mithrax-Mithraculus species complex

Mithrax hispidus (Herbst, 1790) is a mithracid majoid crab occurring on sand, corals and rocks in waters of the western Atlantic. Larval development consists of two zoeal stages and a megalopa. All larval stages are described in detail based on multiple cultures. Prior to this study, larvae of M hispidus were considered to be different and grouped separately from most other larvae of Mithrax, primarily based on setation. A detailed morphological examination, based on the same specimens used for the first description, revealed that the inclusion of M hispidus in a separate group is not valid as zoeae now fully agree with the morphological characteristics defined for the other group of five Mithrax species, including M. pleuracanthus, M. verrucosus, M. caribbaeus, M. coryphe, and M. forceps. This illustrates the importance of precisely recording morphological details such as setation, which may otherwise lead to incorrect interpretations with regard to perceived taxonomic affinities. A comparison of larvae of the Mithrax -Mithraculus species complex does not support separation into two genera. Larval evidence supports the recently suggested adult-based synonymization of M caribbaeus with M. hispidus.

Podochela meloi Sankarankutty, Ferreira & Cunha, 2001, a junior synonym of the spider crab Inachoides forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1879 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Inachoididae)

Podochela meloi Sankarankutty, Ferreira & Cunha, 2001, originally described in the Inachidae MacLeay, 1838, was recently transferred to the Inachoididae genus Inachoides H. Milne Edwards & Lucas, 1842, based upon overall similarities. Placement of P. meloi in both Inachoididae and Inachoides is found to be supported by a number of synapomorphies as shown herein. Podochela meloi is shown to be a junior synonym of Inachoides forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1879.

Relative abundance and population biology of the non-indigenous crab Charybdis hellerii (Crustacea: Brachyura: Portunidae) in a southwestern Atlantic estuary-bay complex

Invasive species are potential threats to biodiversity, especially if they become established and outnumber native species. In this study, a population of the non-indigenous crab Charybdis hellerii was analyzed in an estuary-bay complex on the southeastern Brazilian coast, with respect to its abundance relative to sympatric native brachyuran species, as well as the size structure, sexual maturity, sex ratio, frequency of mutilation, reproductive period, and development of the reproductive system. Crabs were sampled monthly both in the intertidal zone of rocky shores and on sublittoral soft-bottom. Nine species were recorded on the rocky shores, where C. hellerii was the second most abundant species; only three individuals of C. hellerii were collected in the sublittoral samples. This population of C. hellerii showed a unimodal size structure composed mainly of mature individuals; males were larger than females, and the sex ratio was skewed toward males (3.1:1). About 46.9% of the individuals (75 of 160 crabs) had mutilated or regenerating appendages, more frequent in males (56.8%) than in females (28.2%), which may reflect both inter- and intraspecific agonistic interactions. A continuous reproductive pattern is suggested for this population, although ovigerous females occurred unevenly during the year, with 58.82% of them being collected in winter. There was evidence of multiple spawning, since the ovigerous females with an initial egg mass showed mature ovaries as well as seminal receptacles filled with sperm. C. hellerii is well established in the estuary-bay complex, but is concentrated in intertidal and shallow subtidal rocky shores, where it may compete with and replace other species such as the portunid Cronius ruber. This study also highlights the importance of systematic monitoring studies to evaluate the effects of the introduction of non-indigenous species on ecologically similar natives.