Reproductive output and fecundity in anomuran fauna of the consolidated substract in Ilha Vitória and Parque estadual marinho da Laje de Santos (São Paulo, Brasil)

• Grant number: 15/18472-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2016
• End date: December 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Morphology of Recent Groups
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Leão Castilho
• Grantee: Giovanna Mielli Galli
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The present study aims to compare reproductive patterns of anomurans crabs in the consolidated sublitoral of São Paulo state. Galatheoidea is represented by individuals of the Porcellanidae family, which have calcified abdomen. Paguroidea are known as hermit crabs, and it uses gastropods shells for protection because these animals have a soft abdomen. The specific goals will be to identify interspecific and spatial differences in the fecundity, reproductive output and the egg volume of these two super-families, and at last, we will investigate the hermit crab preference for the different types of shells. The environmental factors will be sampled with the EUREKA multiparameter probe. The biological material will be collected in Laje de Santos and in Vitória Island, on consolidated substrate with trimestral expeditions through autonomous diving with the SCUBA equipment and traps that works like a shelter. After captured, the animals are going to be bagged, transported to the Group of Studies on Crustacean Biology, Ecology and Culture and will be identified to the minor taxonomic level possible. In this project we will use only ovigerous females (with embryos attached in its pleopods), and each ovigerous female will have its eggs counted and classified according to its state of embryonic development. After the count, 20 random eggs will be photographed to obtain the volume of the eggs. Lastly, these eggs and the females will be dried for 48h in 60 ºC. With these data, we are going to obtain the dry weight, and calculate the reproductive investment. At last, it will be possible to make comparisons of fecundity, reproductive output and egg volume between the taxa and regions, we will also be able to determine if there is egg loss during the embryonic development. Furthermore, we will do analyses to verify if there is a preference between ovigerous females and non-ovigerous females in relation to the use of gastropods shells.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DA SILVA, ALEXANDRE RIBEIRO; GALLI, GIOVANNA MIELLI; STANSKI, GILSON; DE BIASI, JULIANA BELTRAMIN; DAVANSO, THIAGO MAIA; COBO, VALTER JOSE; CASTILHO, ANTONIO LEAO. Shell occupation as a limiting factor for Pagurus brevidactylus (Stimpson, 1859) in the Marine State Park of Laje de Santos, Brazil. INVERTEBRATE REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT, v. 63, n. 1, p. 1-10, JAN 2 2019. (15/18472-1, 10/50188-8)