Reproductive biology of galatheoid and chirostyloid (Crustacea: Decapoda) squat lobsters from the Gulf of Mexico Author Kilgour, Morgan J. Author Shirley, Thomas C. text Zootaxa 2014 3754 4 381 419 journal article 46649 10.11646/zootaxa.3754.4.3 96aabdb2-1be6-484b-a6aa-34d046a24d01 1175-5326 229435 D6C44F9E-6EF7-411B-8C49-132AA77AB1A5 Eumunida picta Smith, 1883 Eumunida picta was the third most common species of chirostyloid in collections; this number may drastically under-represent the commonness of the species. This species has been collected throughout the Gulf of Mexico , the Caribbean Sea, and it is found from Nova Scotia to Colombia from depths of 200 to 600 m ( Baba et al. 2008 ). Eumunida picta is abundant on hard substrates in the Gulf of Mexico (personal observations) but is poorly represented in collections. Eumunida picta was collected throughout the year, but specimens were absent for the months of February, April, July, November, and December ( Fig. 3 E). A total of 22 individuals was observed, 21 were measured, including eleven males, six females, and five ovigerous females. Male carapace widths ranged from 11.7 to 46.1 mm . Female CWs ranged from 3.7 to 43.8 mm . Ovigerous female CWs ranged from 23.8 to 45.4 mm . Ovigerous females were only collected in March and October ( Fig. 3 E), but because of the small sample size, it cannot be positively stated if this indicates biannual reproductive timing. Non-ovigerous females were collected in May, June, and July indicating biannual reproduction might occur. The numbers of eggs for ovigerous females ranged from 383 to 14,277, and fecundity of squat lobsters was correlated with squat lobster size (CW) (R2 = 0.84, p = 0.028) ( Fig. 4 B). However, egg diameter was not correlated with size, and the average egg diameters ranged from 0.43 to 0.52 mm . Carapace widths of non-ovigerous and ovigerous females were not significantly different (ttest, df = 9, t = -1.287, p = 0.230), nor were males and females significantly different in size (t-test, df = 20, t = 0.519, p = 0.610). These results are consistent with previously published reports ( Wenner 1982 ).