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Morphometric and gonad maturity of the spider crab Libinia spinosa (Crustacea: Brachyura: Majoidea: Epialtidae) in Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2010

M.P. Sal Moyano ,
M.A. Gavio  and
M.D. Maggi
M.P. Sal Moyano*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia, Estación Costera J. J. Nágera, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes, 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata. Argentina CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
M.A. Gavio
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia, Estación Costera J. J. Nágera, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes, 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata. Argentina
M.D. Maggi
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biologia, Estación Costera J. J. Nágera, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes, 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata. Argentina CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M.P. Sal Moyano, Departamento de Biologia, Estación Costera J. J. Nágera, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes, 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata. Argentina email: salmoyan@mdp.edu.ar
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Abstract

Morphometric and gonad maturity of Libinia spinosa on the coast of Mar del Plata, Argentina, were assessed. In both sexes various morphometric features were measured to determine the morphometric maturity, and through macroscopic inspection of gonads and analysis of its content, different stages of gonad maturity were described and the physiological maturity was estimated. In females, the carapace width ranged from 8 to 56.5 mm while in males from 4.6 to 81.97 mm. The size at which 50% of females were morphometrically mature was calculated at 40.6 mm. Based on the allometric growth of the abdomen, two morphometric groups of females were recognized as juvenile and adult phases. In males, results of principal component analysis showed that the most suitable variables that efficiently represent the size and sexual differentiation factor were the carapace width and cheliped length respectively. The size at which 50% of males were morphometrically mature was estimated at 58.9 mm. Based on the allometry of the cheliped growth, two morphometric groups were recognized as immature and mature phases. Males maintained under laboratory conditions moulted and growth was related to regular and terminal moults. Males reached their terminal moult at a wide size-range, from 48.5 mm to 61.4 mm of carapace width. This terminal moult coincided with the size of morphometric maturity. In both sexes four stages of gonad development were described, two corresponded to immature phases and two to mature phases. The size at which 50% of females and males reached gonad maturity was LC50 = 40.33 mm and LC50 = 33.6 mm, respectively. In females, both morphometric and gonad maturity occurred at a similar size. In males, gonad maturity is acquired prior to morphometric maturity, thus three different types of males were characterized: (1) those with small carapace width and cheliped, without spermatophores in their vas deferens; (2) those with large carapace width and small cheliped, bearing spermatophores in their vas deferens; and (3) those with large carapace width and cheliped, bearing spermatophores in their vas deferens.

Keywords

MajoideaLibinia spinosamorphometric maturitygonad maturitymoultmorphotype
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 91 , Issue 4 , June 2011 , pp. 837 - 844
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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