Abstract
SUMMARY: A series of life-history traits in the spider crab Maja crispata were studied on the island of Ischia (Italy) during four sampling periods in 1982: sex ratio, relative growth, sexual maturity, reproductive season, number of eggs per female, copulation and brood sequence. A total of 104 males and 86 females were captured. Mature animals were present year around. The greatest relative abundance of mature animals in both sexes was found in the warmer season. Three postlarval growth stages were distinguishable in males: crabs with juvenile morphological characteristics and immature gonads (between 1.69 and 5.03 cm carapace length), crabs with juvenile morphological characteristics and mature gonads (between 3.59 and 6.11) and crabs with adult morphological characteristics and mature gonads (between 4.98 and 7.16). In females, only two postlarval stages were detected: juveniles (between 1.87 and 4.62) and adults (between 3.56 and 6.11). Mature females with full seminal receptacles were always present. Breeding period extends from May to September. Mean number of eggs was 11473 per female. Breeding sequences in two females kept in the laboratory varied between 5 and 7 broods per year, at intervals of between 21 and 32 days.
Highlights
A wealth of literature deals with a variety of reproductive aspects of spider crabs, covering topics on reproductive behaviour, reproductive effort, seasonality, growth and sexual maturity (Paul and Paul, 1996; Jones and Hartnoll, 1997, among others).Knowledge of reproductive potential, seasonality, growth and sexual maturity in spider crabs has been of significant importance for some species beingREPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY IN MAJA CRISPATA 75 commercially exploited, such as Maja squinado (González-Gurriarán et al, 1998) and Chionoecetes opilio (Saint-Marie et al, 1995)
The decorator crab Maja crispata is known to live in the Mediterranean Sea (Zariquiey-Álvarez, 1968), and several studies have dealt with its ecology and its taxonomic, behavioural, anatomical, and dietary features (Schäfer, 1954; Schöne, 1976; Stevcic, 1985; Carmona-Suárez, 1990, 2002)
More significant than the plain sex ratios is the relationship between individuals with mature and immature gonads, due to its direct connection with reproduction
Summary
A wealth of literature deals with a variety of reproductive aspects of spider crabs, covering topics on reproductive behaviour, reproductive effort, seasonality, growth and sexual maturity (Paul and Paul, 1996; Jones and Hartnoll, 1997, among others).Knowledge of reproductive potential, seasonality, growth and sexual maturity in spider crabs has been of significant importance for some species beingREPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY IN MAJA CRISPATA 75 commercially exploited, such as Maja squinado (González-Gurriarán et al, 1998) and Chionoecetes opilio (Saint-Marie et al, 1995). A wealth of literature deals with a variety of reproductive aspects of spider crabs, covering topics on reproductive behaviour, reproductive effort, seasonality, growth and sexual maturity (Paul and Paul, 1996; Jones and Hartnoll, 1997, among others). Seasonality, growth and sexual maturity in spider crabs has been of significant importance for some species being. The present study was performed to provide baseline data on population parameters that have not yet been investigated in the spider crab Maja crispata, such as sex ratio, achievement of sexual maturity, copulation, reproductive season, reproductive effort and brood sequence as well as relative growth
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