Reproductive biology of the mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii Nardo, 1847 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae) in Homa Lagoon, Aegean Sea, Turkey

ÖZBEK M., KOÇAK C., ACARLI D.

OCEANOLOGICAL AND HYDROBIOLOGICAL STUDIES, cilt.41, sa.4, ss.77-80, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 41 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2012
  • Doi Numarası: 10.2478/s13545-012-0041-z
  • Dergi Adı: OCEANOLOGICAL AND HYDROBIOLOGICAL STUDIES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.77-80
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Reproductive biology, Carcinus aestuarii, Homa Lagoon, Aegean Sea, Mediterranean Sea
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The Mediterranean green crab Carcinus aestuarii Nardo, 1847 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae) is a common inhabitant of the shallow waters of Homa Lagoon in Izmir Bay, Turkey, in the eastern Mediterranean. Monthly samples were collected in Homa Lagoon from June 2006 to May 2007 using trammel nets, fyke nets, beach seines and fence traps. In total, 608 males and 559 females of C. aestuarii were collected. The highest sex ratio (81-86% females) was recorded between October and December, and in August (58% females). Ovigerous females were obtained only from November to February with the highest ratio of ovigerous females (55%) observed in January 2007. The maturation curve presenting the carapace width showed that 50% of female crabs with the carapace width of 26.84 +/- 1.58 mm (r= 0.72) were physiologically mature. Regression analyses indicated that the number of eggs was positively correlated with carapace width and wet weight (P < 0.05, in both cases).