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Population biology and reproduction of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Decapoda: Anomura) in an estuarine region of southern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 May 2009

Bruno Sampaio Sant'Anna ,
Álvaro Luiz Diogo Reigada  and
Marcelo Antonio Amaro Pinheiro
Bruno Sampaio Sant'Anna*
Affiliation:
Research Group in Crustacean Biology (Crusta), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista (CLP), Praça Infante D. Henrique, s/n—Parque Bitarú, CEP 11330-900—São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Rio Claro—Instituto de Biociências—Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia Unimes—Universidade Metropolitana de Santos
Álvaro Luiz Diogo Reigada
Affiliation:
Research Group in Crustacean Biology (Crusta), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista (CLP), Praça Infante D. Henrique, s/n—Parque Bitarú, CEP 11330-900—São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Rio Claro—Instituto de Biociências—Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia
Marcelo Antonio Amaro Pinheiro
Affiliation:
Research Group in Crustacean Biology (Crusta), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista (CLP), Praça Infante D. Henrique, s/n—Parque Bitarú, CEP 11330-900—São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: B.S. Sant'Anna, Research Group in Crustacean Biology (Crusta), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista (CLP), Praça Infante D. Henrique, s/n—Parque Bitarú, CEP 11330-900—São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The population dynamics and reproduction of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus were evaluated on Pescadores Beach, located on the estuarine channel of São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil. The hermit crabs were captured by hand during low tide, from May 2001 to April 2003. A total of 2554 hermit crabs were captured, of which 701 were males, 1741 non-ovigerous females, 48 ovigerous females and 64 intersex individuals. The size–frequency distribution of the males was represented by a platykurtic bell-shaped curve, which differed from the leptokurtic bell-shaped curve of the females. The smaller and intermediate classes were composed mainly of females (modal size 6.5–7.5 mm carapace shield length (CSL)), and the larger classes only by males (modal size 9.5–10.5 mm CSL). The overall sex-ratio was skewed toward females (0.39:1/M:F), differing significantly from the expected 1:1. A seasonal reproductive pattern was recorded for C. vittatus in this location, with more intensive reproductive activity in the warmer months. The absence of juveniles suggests that their recruitment area is different than the area inhabited by adults, possibly another area with more protection and specialized or different resources for young.

Keywords

hermit crabClibanarius vittatusreproductionpopulation biology
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 4 , June 2009 , pp. 761 - 767
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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