Reproductive plasticity in Petrolisthes armatus (Anomura, Porcellanidae): a comparison between a Pacific and an Atlantic population

Abstract

The porcellanid crab Petrolisthes armatus, with a known geographic distribution covering a wide range of latitudes, was selected to conduct a comparative study on egg production and reproductive output between two populations from Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Ovigerous females were collected between September and November 2005 in Punta Morales, Pacific coast of Costa Rica (n = 137) and from March 2005 to July 2006 in Araçá region, São Paulo, Brazil (n = 46). The mean size of females was statistically different between both populations with larger females from Brazil than Costa Rica (7.9 ± 1.31 and 6.6 ± 0.95 mm CW, respectively). Likewise, egg production was significantly different in both populations and started in Pacific Costa Rica at a smaller female size than in Brazil. Specimens from Pacific Costa Rica produced roughly three times more eggs than equally sized females from Brazil, while newly extruded embryos were larger in Brazil than in Costa Rica (0.045 and 0.039 mm 3 , respectively). Egg volume increased during embryogenesis by 112.8 and 164.5% in Costa Rican and Brazilian populations, respectively. The egg water content increased steadily in both populations; however, eggs produced in Brazil contained always more water than those from the same developmental stage in Costa Rica. Average reproductive output (based on dry weight) was substantially lower in Brazil (0.031) than in Costa Rica (0.065). Our results confirm an impressive intraspecific plasticity of reproductive features in an intertidal decapod. The observed phenotypical variability might be related to local environmental conditions as well as to the location of the studied population concerning its geographic range of distribution.

Comparative biology of the crab Goniopsis cruentata: geographic variation of body size, sexual maturity, and allometric growth

“…This could potentially restrict feeding times, resulting in reduced food intake in Ceará and a reduced growth rate (Hirose et al 2013). However, our results contradict the general trend of larger body sizes toward high latitudes that has been reported found for many crustaceans (e.g., Jones and Simons 1983;Wehrtmann et al 2012;Hirose et al 2013). …”

Reproductive aspects of the caridean shrimp Atya scabra (Leach, 1815) (Decapoda: Atyidae) in Sao Sebastiao Island, southwestern Atlantic, Brazil

“…The RO was estimated only for females with newly-extruded eggs (Stage I). Percent egg water content was calculated for all three embryonic developmental stages by the following formula: (egg wet weight-egg dry weight) *100 / egg wet weight (Lardies & Wehrtmann, 2001;Lara & Wehrtmann, 2009;Wehrtmann et al, 2012).…”

Crustaceans from a tropical estuarine sand-mud flat, Pacific, Costa Rica, (1984-1988) revisited

“…No seasonal trends were detected during the one year study. But recent research on this species at Punta Morales indicates high reproductive plasticity (Wehrtmann et al 2011). The abundance of crab larvae was evaluated by Dittel & Epifanio (1990) at the Punta Morales tidal creek North of the study site.…”