Moulting cycle and growth in Macrobrachium amazonicum Heller, 1862 and Macrobrachium rosenbergii de Man (Decapoda, Palaemonidae)

Abstract

With the purpose to optimize the Macrobrachium prawns's production through of the enlargement of the knowledge about its biology, the moult cycle and growth of Macrobrachium amazonicum and Macrobrachium rosenbergii in laboratory conditions were studied. To post-larvae maintained alone or in group of four, were determined the relationships: intermoulting cycle duration X total length and weight, total length and weight before and after ecdysic, cephalotorax, abdomen and telson lengths X total length and weight X total length. The results obtained indicate that: 1 - M. amazonicum and M. rosenbergii are diecdysics species; 2 - the moult cycle duration is relationed with the animals's size; 3 í  post-larvae of M. amazonicum present abdomen's growth faster than others body's parts; 4 - the M. rosenbergii growth is bigger in cephalotorax; 5 í  post-larvae of M. rosenbergii and M. amazonicum maintained alone or grouped ones presented allometric growth.