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Occurrence of shell disease and carapace abnormalities on natural population of Neohelice granulata (Crustacea: Varunidae) from a tropical mangrove forest, Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Rafael Augusto Gregati*
Affiliation:
NEBECC (Group of Studies on Crustacean Biology, Ecology and Culture), Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
Maria Lucia Negreiros-Fransozo
Affiliation:
NEBECC (Group of Studies on Crustacean Biology, Ecology and Culture), Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Rafael Augusto Gregati, NEBECC (Group of Studies on Crustacean Biology Ecology and Culture), Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brazil email: biogregati@hotmail.com
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Abstract

In this note, we registered the occurrence of shell diseases and carapace abnormalities in a natural population of Neohelice granulata from a tropical mangrove forest, in South America, as a part of a wide ecological study. The occurrence of 32 adult crabs (1.77%) with black or brown spotted shells, or deformities on the carapace was registered, collected in the autumn and winter seasons. The low prevalence of shell diseases and abnormalities in this natural population is considered normal and probably caused by injuries occurring during the moult period of crabs.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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