Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/63241
Type: Artigo de Periódico
Title: Population and reproductive biology of the fiddler crab Uca thayeri Rathbun, 1900 (Crustacea: Ocypodidae) in a tropical mangrove from Northeast Brazil
Authors: Bezerra, Luis Ernesto Arruda
Cascon, Helena Matthews
Keywords: Uca thayeri;Population biology;Reproductive biology;Sex ratio;Handedness
Issue Date: 2007
Publisher: Acta Oecologica
Citation: BEZERRA, Luis Ernesto Arruda; CASCON, Helena Matthews. Population and reproductive biology of the fiddler crab Uca thayeri Rathbun, 1900 (Crustacea: Ocypodidae) in a tropical mangrove from Northeast Brazil. Acta Oecologica, [s. l.], v. 31, p. 251-258, 2007.
Abstract: Population and reproductive biology of Uca thayeri Rathbun, 1900 were studied for the first time in a tropical mangrove. Absolute density, sex ratio, population structure, handedness, breeding season and fecundity were investigated. Seven transects were delimited in a mangrove area of the Pacoti River, Northeast of Brazil (3 430 0200 S/38 320 3500 W). On each transect, ten 0.25 m2 squares were sampled on a monthly basis during low tide periods from September 2003 to August 2004. A total of 483 crabs were obtained, of which 250 were males, 219 non-ovigerous females, and 14 ovigerous females. The U. thayeri population presented bi-modal size frequency distribution, with males and non-ovigerous females not differing significantly size-wise. Ovigerous females were larger than males and non-ovigerous females. The overall sex ratio (1:1.07) did not differ significantly from the expected 1:1 proportion. The major cheliped was the right one in 50% of the males. The observed density was of 8.5 individuals/m2 , with the specimens being found mostly in shaded areas. Ovigerous females were found in 5 months of the year, coinciding with the rainy season, suggesting that the population of U. thayeri presents seasonal reproductive events. Juvenile crabs were more abundant during the dry period, while larger crabs were found mainly during the rainy period. The fecundity of the studied population was much smaller than that of subtropical populations of this species. The regression analysis shows that the number of eggs increases linearly with the increase of carapace width.
URI: http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/63241
Access Rights: Acesso Aberto
Appears in Collections:DBIO - Artigos publicados em revista científica

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