Swimming crabs, Portunus trituberculatus(Miers) are commercially important off the coasts of Korea, Japan and China. Harvest of swimming crabs has been fluctuated along their distribution ranges. Fluctuations in the interannual harvest of swimming crabs may be correlated with the survival rate during the larval period.The survival rates, intermolt periods, and growth of larval swimming crabs were investigated in the laboratory. Larval swimming crabs are released and undergo development from April to August off the western coast of Korea in the Yellow Sea. Sea surface temperatures off the western coast of Korea during the larval season were used for the laboratory experiments, and ranged from 22 to 26 C. Larvae were individually cultured at four different temperatures, 22 C, 24 C, 26 C, and 28 C. Zoea molted to megalopa at all temperatures and developed to the first crab stage at 24 C, 26 C, and 28 C. Survival rates from zoea I to the first crab stage increased with increasing temperatures. Intermolt period and the growth rate of the mean carapace length were inversely correlated with temperature. Our research helps understand the changes in survival rate and growth of larval swimming crabs resulting from changing oceanic temperatures. Further, our study suggests that the fluctuations in fishery harvest of swimming crabs off the coast of Korea may be related to changes in larval survival affected by changing ocean conditions.
Distribution and occurrence of swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus larvae were investigated in the mid-western coast of Korea in the Yellow Sea. P. trituberculatus larvae were collected in July and August from 2010 to 2012. Bongo net with 303 mesh was deployed once with a double oblique tow. Zoea I (ZI) densities were highest in all sampling months. Then densities of later larval stages decreased dramatically. In general, larval densities at the stations in northern parts and coastal areas were higher than those at the southern and offshore area. Because egg bearing seasons of P. trituberculatus in the study area are between April and August, larval densities, particularly, of ZI may be underestimated. Considering higher densities of ZI and lower ones of later stages, larvae may be transported to growing area and returned to the parental populations. Larval densities and sea surface temperature were not correlated.
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