The relative growth and sexual maturity of the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei (Brachyura, Trichodactylidae) in the northwestern region of the state of São Paulo

The aim of the present study was to determine the size at sexual maturity in the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861, from a population located in Mendonça, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The crabs were sampled monthly (July 2005 to June 2007), at Barra Mansa reservoir. The specimens were captured manually or in sieves passed through the aquatic vegetation. The crabs were captured and separated by sex based on morphology of the pleon and on the number of pleopods. The following dimensions were measured: carapace width (CW); carapace length (CL); propodus length (PL); and abdomen width (AW). The morphological analysis of the gonads was used to identify and categorize individuals according to their stage of development. The morphological maturity was estimated based on the analysis of relative growth based on the allometric equation y = ax b. The gonadal maturity was based on the morphology of the gonads by the method CW50 which indicates the size at which 50% of the individuals in the population showed gonads morphologically mature to reproduction. The biometric relationships that best demonstrated the different patterns of growth for the juvenile and adult stages were CW vs. PL for males and CW vs. AW for females (p<0.001). Based on these relationships, the estimated value to morphological sexual maturity was 21.5 mm (CW) in males and 19.7 mm (CW) in females. The determination of the size at sexual maturity and the adjustment of the data based on the logistic curve (CW50) resulted in a size of 38.2 mm for males and 39.4 mm for females (CW). Based on the data obtained for sexual maturity for D. pagei, we can estimate a minimum size for capture of 40 mm (CW). This minimum size allows at least half of the population to reproduce and retains the juveniles and a portion of the adults in the population.

Development of the male reproductive system in Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 (Brachyura: Portunidae)

This study describes the histology and histochemistry of the male reproductive system in Callinectes ornatus, comparing juvenile and adult developmental stages. We also analyzed changes in the gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic (HSI) indices, and the weights of the testis and vas deferens during the development. The results showed that all stages, beginning with the juvenile (JUV), through developing (DEV) and mature (MAT) adult males of C. ornatus produce sperm and spermatophores. During development, testicular lobes showed the same characteristics of production and release of sperm into the seminiferous duct. The vas deferens showed little histological and histochemical change in the epithelium in juvenile and adult males. The differences consisted of the larger amount of secretion in MAT males compared to JUV and DEV ones. The chemical composition of the seminal fluid was similar, but MAT males produced a more homogeneous secretion. Morphological and physiological maturation are not synchronized in C. ornatus, since JUV males produced spermatophores similar to those in DEV and MAT males. However, these JUV are not yet able to reproduce, since they still have the abdomen attached to the cephalothoracic sternum. The increase of the GSI during development was significant for MAT males, and is related to the production of sufficient volume of seminal fluid to form the sperm plug in the female seminal receptacle. The HSI decreased from DEV to MAT adult stages, indicating that reserves from the hepatopancreas are used to develop the reproductive system after the pubertal molt.

Reproductive biology of Hepatus pudibundus (Crustacea: Brachyura), the most abundant crab on the southeastern Brazilian coast

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

Two species of swimming crabs of the genus Achelous (Crustacea, Brachyura): environmental requirements determining the niche

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

First zoeal stage of ? Cataleptodius parvulus (Fabricius, 1793) and Xanthodius denticulatus (White, 1848) (Decapoda: Brachyura): larval evidences and systematic position

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Juvenile development of Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 ( Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura, Portunidae) under laboratory conditions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Distribution and population structure of the flecked box crab Hepatus pudibundus (Decapoda, Brachyura) in the western South Atlantic

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

JUVENILE DEVELOPMENT OF DILOCARCINUS PAGEI STIMPSON, 1861 (BRACHYURA, TRICHODACTYLIDAE) REARED IN THE LABORATORY, WITH EMPHASIS ON SETAE MORPHOLOGY

The juvenile development of the freshwater crab Dilocarcinus pagei Stimpson, 1861 was studied under laboratory conditions, focusing on setae morphology. The ovigerous females were collected manually associated with water hyacinth at the Municipal Dam of Sao Jose do Rio Preto (Sao Paulo, Brazil). The specimens were raised in the laboratory under constant aeration, photoperiod (12: 12 h) and temperature (27 +/- 1 degrees C). Twelve juvenile stages were obtained with descriptions of the main morphological characters that allow their identification are presented. Fourteen types of setae were discovered: dentate, denticulate, serrulate, papposerrate, cuspidate, plumose, plumodenticulate, plumoserrulate, simple, pappose, brush, curved, nail and setules. The greatest diversity of setae was found on the mouth appendages, especially the maxillule. The gill ontogeny and sexual dimorphism becomes apparent from the second juvenile stage onwards. At the third juvenile stage, the carapace begins to exhibit a wider shape, becoming similar to that of the adults.

Biologia e ecologia de crustáceos decápodos (Caridea e Brachyura) do infralitoral não consolidado da costa sudeste do Brasil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Population biology and distribution of the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus (Decapoda: Brachyura) in an estuary-bay complex of southern Brazil

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

IS CLEISTOSPERMY AND COENOSPERMY RELATED TO SPERM TRANSFER? A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF PACHYGRAPSUS TRANSVERSUS AND PACHYGRAPSUS GRACILIS (BRACHYURA: GRAPSIDAE)

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

Vertical distribution by demographic groups of ghost crab Ocypode quadrata (Crustacea: Brachyura)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Biologia populacional de Uca leptodactylus e Uca uruguayensis (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) em uma área estuarina no litoral sul paulista

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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)