Population structure, relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of the snapping shrimp Alpheus brasileiro Anker, 2012 (Caridea: Alpheidae) from the south-eastern coast of Brazil

Author(s)

Pescinelli, Regis Augusto ^[1] ; Almeida, Alexandre Oliveira ^[2] ; Costa, Rogerio Caetano ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ UNESP, Lab Biol Marine & Freshwater Shrimp LABCAM, Dept Biol Sci, Fac Sci, Av Eng Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube 14-01, BR-17033360 Bauru, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Pernambuco, Biosci Ctr, Dept Zool, Lab Crustacean Biol LBC, Recife, PE - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: MARINE BIOLOGY RESEARCH; v. 14, n. 6, p. 610-620, 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

The present study investigated the population structure of the snapping shrimp Alpheus brasileiro. We tested the hypotheses that the sex ratio of the population differs from the expected 1:1 and that the growth pattern differs between adults and juveniles and between sexes. Reproductive period, juvenile recruitment and morphological sexual maturity were estimated. Samples were collected in two periods. The first sampling occurred bimonthly from March 2013 to January 2014. The second sampling occurred monthly from April 2015 to March 2016. The population structure was determined based on the size-frequency distribution of different demographic categories. To analyse the relative growth, we measured the second pleuron length, major cheliped propodus length, major cheliped propodus width, major cheliped propodus height, appendix interna length, appendix masculina length. The results showed that the sex ratio did not differ from 1:1 (male:female). Reproduction and juvenile recruitment were continuous throughout the study period. The analysis of relative growth confirmed the hypothesis that males and females, and juveniles and adults, have different growth patterns, indicating distinct strategies of energy allocation. The estimated carapace length at the onset of morphological sexual maturity was 4.9mm in males and 4.7mm in females. The results obtained in this study are probably related to the monogamous social behaviour of A. brasileiro. Monogamy can influence demographic parameters such as sex ratio and the size at which males and females reach morphological sexual maturity. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/50188-8 - Decapod crustaceans: multi-disciplinary characterization of the sea biodiversity of the State of São Paulo (taxonomy, spermiotaxonomy, molecular biology and population dynamics)
• Grantee: Fernando Luis Medina Mantelatto
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/12136-4 - Population dynamics of the shrimp Alpheus brasileiro Anker, 2012 (Decapoda: Caridea: Alpheidae) in Cananéia,south of São Paulo state
• Grantee: Régis Augusto Pescinelli
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master