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
Munidopsis armata
(
A. Milne-Edwards, 1880
)
Munidopsis armata
has previously been reported as
Elasmonotus armata
(see
Baba
et al.
2008
) and is known from specimens collected in the Caribbean and the Gulf of
Mexico
in depths of
677 to 1144 m
(
Milne-Edwards 1880
;
Chace 1942
). Specimens were collected in July and December from the Caribbean and the Gulf of
Mexico
in depths of
625 to 1280 m
. Three males were measured with CW from
8.1 to 9.1 mm
. Six non-ovigerous females were measured with CW from
4.8 to 8.6 mm
. Five ovigerous females were measured with a CW range of
7.7 to 9.8 mm
. Males and females were not significantly different in size (t-test, df
=
12, t
=
-1.140, p
=
0.277); nonovigerous and ovigerous females did not significantly differ in size (t-test, df
=
9, t
=
-1.864, p
=
0.095). Ovigerous females were collected in July and August, but since these were the only two months collected material was available (
Fig. 12
E), no conclusions of reproductive timing could be made. Females had between four and eight eggs with the average egg diameters between
1.39 mm
and
1.53 mm
. Fecundity was not significantly correlated with CW (R2
=
0.75, p
=
0.333). Average egg width was not correlated with CW (R2
=
0.0274, p
=
0.894).