Fishery-Related Morphometric Characteristics of Menippe adina from the North-Central Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Fishery-related morphometric characteristics of the recently described gulf stone crab Menippe adina were measured, providing data applicable to managing the species. Because data used in managing crab stocks have traditionally been based on carapace width, we examined the relationship between propodus length (PL) and carapace width and compared it to similar data for the heavily exploited Florida stone crab M. mercenaria. Claws for M. adina reach harvestable size (70 mm PL, minimum legal size in Florida) when carapace widths are 82 mm for males and 92 mm for females. Menippe adina exhibits allometric growth, and the transition point (carapace width) at which differential growth occurs appears to be related to sexual maturity. Males and females exhibit similar relationships of propodus length to carapace width below the transition point. Above the transition point, males display a greater increase in propodus length per incremental increase in carapace width and enter the fishery at a smaller siz...