“…The difference in size between the sexes found in most Brachyura (Mantelatto & Fransozo, 1996; Taddei & Herrera, 2010; Alencar et al ., 2014; Pescinelli et al ., 2015; Marochi et al ., 2016; Gonçalves et al ., 2017) was also observed in the area studied for H. pudibundus . Males grew higher than females, corroborating results for this same species in different regions, such as Ubatuba (Mantelatto et al ., 1995 b ), Armação do Itapocoroy (Fracasso & Branco, 2005), northern Rio de Janeiro (Klôh & Di Beneditto, 2010) and Balneário Camboriú (Sardá et al ., 2013). This difference in size may be related to behavioural differences between the sexes, since after puberty moult the males direct their energy expenditures to somatic growth, copulatory behaviour and protecting females, which in turn invest their energy in egg production and incubation (Hartnoll, 1982, 1985; Mantelatto et al ., 1995 b ; Mantelatto & Fransozo, 1996; Costa & Negreiros-Fransozo, 1998).…”