Abstract

CHAVEZ-L, Rafael; ROCHA-R, Arturo  and  VAZQUEZ-L, Horacio. Ecological aspects of Callinectes sapidus (Crustacea: Portunidae) juvenile stages from a Gulf of Mexico blind estuary. Caldasia [online]. 2019, vol.41, n.2, pp.422-432. ISSN 0366-5232.  https://doi.org/10.15446/caldasia.v41n2.70500.

In this report are described abundance, size structure, and relative growth in Callinectes sapidus young stages from the Laguna El Llano blind estuary, Veracruz State (Mexico). Blue crabs were sampled in eight sampling sites since May 2013 to May 2014; four sites were located in un-vegetated, sandy bottom, and clear waters locations near to estuarine inlet, another four with fringe mangrove vegetation, muddy-bottom, and turbid waters. Were recorded pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and salinity. A total of 276 organisms were collected (235 males and 41 females), young blue crabs were most numerous (91.3 %) in muddy-bottom, turbid waters sampling sites; the temporal abundance was not related statistically to hydrological variables (P >0.05). Were measured the Carapace Width (CW) and total weight (W) of each specimen, male CW ranked 12-85 mm and WW 0.3-123.4 g, while female CW was 9.0-92.8 mm and W 0.7-152.6 g; respect to total abundance, 76.4 % were 11-20 mm and 4160 mm CW size class specimens; the relative growth was analyzed by using CW vs. W biometric relationship, for young blue crabs were negative allometric growth, regardless of sex; all specimens showed morphologically differentiated telson but early gonadal development stages; males outnumbered the gender proportion; 11-20 mm CW blue crabs occurrence through study span indicated continuous recruitment processes in this estuary.

Keywords : Blue crab; estuary; growth; Laguna El Llano; recruitment; size class structure.

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