From a series of samples collected in 1995 by fishing trawlers it was possible to establish the distribution areas of Plesionika antigai (Zariquiey Atvarez) in the seas around Sardinia. P. antigai was generally found from 200 to 600 m depth and was most abundant between 400 and 450 m. It was found in different proportions together with Plesionika heterocarpus (A. Costa) in 16 of the 120 castings, between 380 and 500 m of depth. The specimens examined were in the following CL ranges: males 2.4 16.9 ram, females 2.5 17.5 mm. On the whole the sex ratio (m/f) was 0.6 in favour of the females; this value, however, seems to decrease according to increasing depth, with a reduction in the number of males with respect to females. Ovigerous females were present all year round with particularly high percentage frequency values between June and November. Calculated size at first maturity in these months was 10.0 and 9.7 mm CL, respectively. The stage immediately before hatching is most common in June. Finally, the value obtained from the yearly summation of the relative monthly frequencies of stage three ovigerous females, which was 200, agreed with the values reported for other decapod crustaceans that spawn more than once a year.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.