Fernando L. Yards. Mantelatto, Vera F. Alarcon, Renata B. Garcia, Eggs Manufacturing Steps of Tropical Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae out-of Brazil, Journal away from Crustacean Biology, Frequency twenty two, Situation dos, 1975-99990246
Conceptual
The aim of the present study was to characterize the total and seasonal fecundity of the hermit crab Paguristes tortugae as well as the influence of shell type on fecundity using the morphometric relationship. Ovigerous females were collected monthly from January to December, 1998, in the infralittoral region of Anchieta Island. Samplings were performed using SCUBA. The hermit crabs and the gastropod shells were measured. Hermit wet weight and shell dry weight were recorded. For the fecundity analysis, only ovigerous females with the eggs in the early phase of development were selected. The number of eggs carried by individuals of several sizes (shield length), condition of development, and egg size were determined. A high percentage (%) of ovigerous females with eggs in the early phase of development were captured, with a low frequency (4.29%) of females with eggs in the final stage of development. Size-frequency distribution during the months showed two peaks in the ovigerous female population (2.5 to 3.4 mm and 4.0 to 5.4 mm of SL). |$ <\rm>\pm <\rm>$| fecundity was |$132 \pm 102$| eggs and tended to increase with increasing SL. No significant difference in fecundity occurred among the various seasons of the year. The results showed continuous and elevated reproduction of P. tortugae, with a high reproductive potential for the population. The pattern of the frequency distribution of ovigerous females tending to bimodality may be characteristic of a population with a two-year life cycle. Considering the four shells most occupied by P. tortugae (Pisania auritula, Cerithium atratum, Morula nodulosa, and Leucozonia nassa), the highest fecundity was observed for ovigerous females occupying larger shells (P. auritula and L. nassa). The reproductive aspects of P. tortugae were related to strategies developed to compensate for interspecific competition, i.e., high and continuous reproductive effort, early maturity, low fecundity, and larger eggs produced.
Training into the reproductive actions off Anomura were eliciting growing interest in view of the fact hermit crabs show an interesting classification away from a biological and you will evolutionary opinion ( Mantelatto and Garcia, 1999). This community constitutes more 800 types of brand new hermit crabs around the world and it has experienced big upgrade ( Ingle, 1993).
Hermit crabs depict an important part of the of a lot intertidal and you will meagerly strong benthic groups, in which they enjoy an important role in the marine system ( Fransozo and you can Mantelatto, 1998). However, partners research has become used to the life history otherwise reproductive ecology from hermit crabs weighed against other decapods.
Fecundity is an important parameter from inside the crustaceans, as well as others, for choosing the fresh reproductive potential out-of a kinds and you can/otherwise of your own inventory size of a people ( Mantelatto and you may Fransozo, 1997), perhaps outlining brand new reproductive changes to environment criteria ( Sastry, 1983). Hermit crabs particularly, while they are now living in gastropod shells, manage a way to research the brand new communications anywhere between capital and you can reproductive method. Predicated on Wilber (1989), good female’s layer could affect the lady breeding of the deciding if or not otherwise not she gets ovigerous and/or limiting what amount of egg produced. That it copywriter noticed multiple regions of the new layer-size/reproduction matchmaking, especially towards differences in eggs production in relation to the fresh variety, proportions, frequency, and you may lbs of layer filled.
Egg Manufacturing Procedures of your own Exotic Hermit Crab Paguristes Tortugae out-of Brazil
On top of that, around three sets of hermit crab specifically (i.elizabeth., the brand new genera Pagurus and you will 
Paguristes, plus the “Pylopagurus-like” species), have been a difficult class to examine while the of numerous types are understood of just one or a number of localities, and lots of still-undescribed variety are known to occur in the spot, resulting in considerable personality trouble certainly experts and nonspecialists similar ( Hendrickx and you may Harvey, 1999). Paguristes tortugae Schmitt, 1933, is a relatively popular species delivered regarding Western Atlantic off Florida to help you Brazil (since the far south while the Santa Catarina Condition) ( Rieger and you can Giraldi, 1997; Melo, 1999). Despite the partners paperwork on the entire biology from pagurids, P. tortugae could have been seemingly well studied (pick Mantelatto and Sousa, from inside the push, to possess opinion).