Preliminary observations on fecundity of the processid shrimpNikoides schmitti(Decapoda, Caridea) from Mexican Caribbean

Abstract

Nikoides schmitti is widely distributed along the Atlantic coast of the Americas, from North Carolina to Bahia, Brazil and Cuba and Guadeloupe; however, the knowledge about their reproductive biology is poorly known. In this study, data such as sex ratio, fecundity, size and volume of the embryos, and brood loss of material collected in July 1997 from Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico is provided. The sample of 728 specimens had a sex ratio of 0.40 males per female. Fecundity (N = 31) of ovigerous females (Stage I) varied from 219 to 817, with an average of 432 ± 177 embryos. The newly extruded embryos of N. schmitti were small (0.41 ± 0.030 mm) and similar in size to those reported for other species of the genus. The mean volume of the embryos changed significantly during development, increasing 60.9% from stages I to III. Embryo loss during incubation was estimated in 32.9%. This study provides baseline information about the reproduction of N. schmitti and contributes to a better knowledge of this species little studied.