Abstract
This work aims to estimate the average size at the onset of morphological and physiological sexual maturity and the reproductive period of Callinectes danae. Specimens were captured from a shrimp fishing boat equipped with a trawl net from March 2009 to February 2010. After sorting, crabs were sexed, and the following morphometric dimensions were measured: carapace width (CW), length and height of the major (MAP and HMAP), and the minor cheliped propodus (MIP and HMIP) for both sexes, and the abdominal width for females (AW). The onset of morphological maturity was estimated with the REGRANS program, in which the inflection point is calculated. The size at the onset of physiological maturity was determined by logistic regressions fitted to the relationships between the percentages of juvenile and adult individuals of each CW. A total of 893 individuals were sampled. Of these individuals, 389 were males, 472 non-ovigerous females, and 32 ovigerous females. The CW ranged from 19.81 to 117.17 mm for males, 19.91 to 113.11 mm for non-ovigerous females, and 70.55 to 88.60 mm for ovigerous females. Morphological sexual maturity was attained at 86.47 mm CW (males) and 67.87 mm CW (females). The size at the onset of physiological maturity was calculated to be 86.50 mm CW (males) and 67.00 mm CW (females). Due to the closeness of these values, both techniques were deemed suitable for determination of the onset of sexual maturity in C. danae. This species reproduces throughout the year, but reproduction is more intense during the winter. Mature males are present throughout the year. Data from this investigation will help resource managers to develop strategies that will ensure a sustainable harvest of this important species of swimming crab in southern Brazil.
Highlights
Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 is an abundant swimming blue crab on the Brazilian coast, where it is commonly known as “siri-azul”, “siri-açú”, or “siri-tinga”
This study aims to estimate the average size at which the swimming crab C. danae attains sexual maturity in morphometric and functional terms
Sampling The swimming crabs were obtained from Guaratuba Bay (25°51’S / 48°33’W and 25°52’S / 48°43’W), Paraná State, southern Brazil (Fig. 1)
Summary
Callinectes danae Smith, 1869 is an abundant swimming blue crab on the Brazilian coast, where it is commonly known as “siri-azul”, “siri-açú”, or “siri-tinga”. It has been recorded from brackish to hypersaline waters in estuarine bays, mangroves, sandy beaches, and the open sea, as well as from the intertidal to a depth of 75 meters (Melo, 1996). This species is especially numerous in Guaratuba Bay, Paraná State, where its populations occur throughout the year (Sampaio, 2009). In southern and southeastern Brazil, these crabs are boiled and the muscles removed and sold as “swimming crab meat”, representing a supplementary source of economic support for the families of fishermen (Garcez and Sánchez-Botero, 2005; Yomar-Hattori et al, 2006)
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