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Fecundity and brood loss in four species of fiddler crabs, genus Uca (Brachyura: Ocypodidae), in the mangroves of Inhaca Island, Mozambique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2009

Paulo Torres ,
Gil Penha-Lopes ,
Luís Narciso ,
Adriano Macia  and
José Paula
Paulo Torres*
Affiliation:
Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Sr.a do Cabo, No. 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal
Gil Penha-Lopes
Affiliation:
Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Sr.a do Cabo, No. 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal
Luís Narciso
Affiliation:
Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Sr.a do Cabo, No. 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal
Adriano Macia
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, C.P. 257 Maputo, Moçambique
José Paula
Affiliation:
Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Sr.a do Cabo, No. 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: P. Torres, Laboratório Marítimo da Guia, Faculdade de Ciências da, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Nossa Sr.a do Cabo, No. 939, 2750-374 Cascais, Portugal email: biol.paulo@gmail.com
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Abstract

In this study, four species of fiddler crabs (Uca) at Inhaca Island, Mozambique, were studied: their fecundity determined and egg loss between the first and last embryonic development stage evaluated. Ovigerous female crabs were collected throughout February to March (wet season) of 2006, during day-time at low tide, in Ponta Rasa (U. annulipes and U. inversa) and Saco (U. chlorophthalmus and U. vocans) mangroves. Average brood size increased significantly with female and species size, ranging from 932 (CW = 8.51 mm) in U. annulipes, to 18,057 (CW = 23.5 mm) in U. vocans. The number of embryos decreased significantly over the incubation period for each species. Brood loss from embryonic stage I to stage IV for U. annulipes, U. inversa, U. chlorophthalmus and U. vocans was 12.3%, 14%, 43.2% and 23.6%, respectively (P < 0.05). Positive allometry was recorded for all species in the early development stage, however, due to the higher relative brood loss in larger females (U. vocans), when comparing the number of embryos in late developmental stage, a negative allometry was possible to observe. The average volume of embryos at the same stage differed among species although significant differences were found between embryonic stages for all species. Embryo volume increased 96.1%, 93.3%, 92.9% and 96.3% in, respectively, U. annulipes, U. inversa, U. chlorophthalmus and U. vocans (P < 0.05). Differences in brood loss were attributed to habitat substrate and structure, stress factors and behavioural aspects.

Keywords

fiddler crabsUcafecunditybrood lossmangrovesMozambique
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 89 , Issue 2 , March 2009 , pp. 371 - 378
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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