Female reproductive biology of Callinectes danae (Decapoda, Portunidae) in the estuarine-lagoon complex of Iguape and Cananéia (SP)

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to analyze the allometry and reproductive aspects of females of the swimming-crab Callinectes danae in the Estuarine-Lagoon Complex of Iguape and Cananéia (SP). Catches were carried out monthly (January to December 2002) at the estuary mouth. Specimens were measured in width cephalotorax (CW, without lateral spines and CWe, with lateral thorns) and recorded total wet weight (Pt). Ovigerous females had the mass of eggs classified by development stage, weighted (Po, weight of eggs) and quantified (No, number of eggs). Allometric analysis were made to determine the size of sexual maturity (L₅₀). A total of 538 specimens (102 males and 436 females) was collected. Ovigerous females represented 52.9% of the total female obtained, with CW ranging from 5.16 to 9.65 cm (mean = 7.51 ± 0.57 cm) and CWe from 6.72 to 11.96 cm (mean = 8.84 ± 0.97 cm) occurring throughout the year with the highest concentration in summer. The average fecundity of 168 ovigerous females (stages I and II) was 759,574 eggs (± 454,302). The morphological L₅₀ was estimated at 5.71 cm for CW and 6.73 cm for CWe. Biometric relations Pt x CW (b = 3.11, r² = 0.84) and No x CW (b = 4.63, r² = 0.64) were positive allometric. In order to protect the spawning stock is important to restrict fishing at estuarine mouth, as well as establish in fishery laws a minimum landing size of 6.0 cm CW or 7.0 cm CWe to this species.