Reproduction and management of the mangrove crab Ucides cordatus (Crustacea, Brachyura, Ucididae) at Iguape, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The mangrove crab Ucides cordatus is one of the most exploited crustaceans in Brazil. The present study investigated the breeding season of this species and the period of the "andada" phenomenon, when the crabs are active outside their burrows and perform agonistic behaviors. Furthermore related them to environmental factors, in a mangrove on the coast of Brazil, with inferences about management of this crab. The crabs reproduced from October through February. The "andada" occurred from November through February, with typical characteristics in the first two months, during the full and new moon periods, and was influenced positively by the air and soil temperature, luminosity, and tidal amplitude, and negatively by salinity. Based on the results of the present study, the period when the "andada" occurs in other parts of Brazil could be defined, which will aid in managing this fishery. For Iguape, state of São Paulo, Brazil, we suggest a legal off-season for both sexes in December or during the full and new moon, including January.

Population biology of the ‘uçá'-crab, Ucides cordatus(Linnaeus, 1763) (Brachyura: Ucididae), in mangroves of the Joanes River, Bahia State, Brazil

“…This regional difference illustrates the intrinsic relationship between biological processes in this species (e.g., growth and reproduction) and environmental factors, sex, and gonadal maturation (Pinheiro and Fiscarelli, 2009). The life cycle of U. cordatus is dramatically influenced by changes in temperature, rainfall and tidal amplitude; these factors determine the initiation (and time modulation) of some reproductive events (e.g., nuptial molt, mating, gonadal maturation and spawning) (Sant'Anna et al, 2014) and other biological events, such as the U. cordatus fattening period during the winter months.…”

Seasonal changes in the biochemical composition of females and offspring of red squat lobster, Pleuroncodes monodon (Decapoda, Munididae), from the Southeastern Pacific

“…Knowledge of the reproductive biology of commercially important decapod crustaceans is highly relevant to the generation of sustainable management plans that focus on population and ecosystem dynamics (Rasmuson, ; Sant'Anna, Borges, Hattori, & Pinheiro, ; Torres, Dos Santos, Alemany, & Massutí, ). In crustacean species with complex life cycles that include various ontogenetic phases (incubated embryos, free swimming planktonic larvae, benthic juveniles and adults), it is necessary to study the physiology and bioenergetics of each ontogenetic stage in order to understand the possible effects that trawling might have on the life cycle of these organisms (for concepts see Giménez, ; Kooijman, ).…”

Protocolos para o monitoramento de habitats bentônicos costeiros - Rede de Monitoramento de Habitat Bentônicos Costeiros - ReBentos

“…É importante destacar que a amostragem em duas épocas permitiria minimizar erros amostrais previamente discutidos pelos especialistas durante a confecção deste protocolo, a saber: (1) época reprodutiva, caracterizada por maior atividade comportamental (locomotora) dos animais (Schmidt et al, 2012;Sant'Anna et al, 2014), quando ocorre um maior número de galerias abertas (Wunderlich et al, 2008), minimizando o erro de contagem das galerias (estimativa da densidade), mas potencializando o erro de medição do diâmetro de abertura das galerias (estimativa da estrutura populacional); e (2) época não reprodutiva, com padrão inverso ao anterior devido à elevação da ocorrência das galerias fechadas (Wunderlich et al, 2008), causando falha na contabilização e subestimativa da densidade populacional da espécie, mas com minimização do erro de medição das galerias pela menor atividade comportamental (locomotora) nesse período. Considerando que tais erros podem afetar a estimativa de densidade (na época não reprodutiva) ou a estrutura populacional (na época reprodutiva), recomenda-se que as avaliações sejam efetuadas nesses dois períodos ou naquele de maior interesse ao pesquisador, caso os recursos financeiros não permitam duas amostragens anuais.…”