Fecundity, Brood Loss and Egg Development Through Embryogenesis of Armases cinereum (Decapoda: Grapsidae)

Authors

Joana Figueiredo, Universidade de Lisboa - PortugalFollow
Gil Penha-Lopes, Universidade de Lisboa - Portugal
Justin Anto, Florida Institute of TechnologyFollow
Luis Narciso, Universidade de Lisboa - Portugal
Junda Lin, Florida Institute of Technology

ORCID

0000-0001-6597-0268

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Marine Biology

ISSN

0025-3162

Publication Date

4-2008

Abstract

The present work is a comprehensive study of reproduction and embryonic development of Armases cinereum. Ovigerous A. cinereum (Bosc, 1802) females from Sebastian Inlet, Florida (9.88–19.4 mm CW) lay 2,000–12,000 eggs per brood, depending on their CW (mm): fecundity = 24.662 CW^1.9432. A. cinereum displayed significant brood loss through development (ca. 500 eggs per brood) independently from their CW (no senescence). However, since smaller females lay fewer eggs than larger ones, the percentage of eggs lost during embryonic development is greater in smaller females. The number of eggs carried on a later stage of development (potential fertility = 5.5593 CW^2.4417) is a more accurate estimate of the reproductive output and subsequent recruitment. Egg volume increased during development (64%, 0.025–0.041 mm³ or 0.36–0.43 mm of diameter, N = 270) and was strongly correlated with egg water content increase (19.21%, r = 0.89). Lipids, particularly fatty acids, seem to be the major energy source for embryonic development, decreasing 56.31 and 37.08% (respectively) during embryonic development; both are negatively correlated with egg volume (r = −0.90). The utilization of fatty acids through the different developmental stages of A. cinereum is presented. The most consumed fatty acids are the monounsatured (43.33 μg mg⁻¹ dw), followed by the saturated (29.91 μg mg⁻¹ dw) and polyunsaturated (24.03 μg mg⁻¹). Palmitic (16:0) and linoleic (18:2n-6) acids are preferentially consumed (19.5 and 17.9 μg mg⁻¹ dw, respectively). The high proportion of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids of C₁₈ and C₂₀ reflects the consumption of primary producers such as mangrove leaves. EPA/DHA ratio (2.85–3.84) and low DHA content indicated that this species appears in a medium-low level of the trophic chain. The low ratio of 18:1n-7/18:1n-9 and high percentage of 18:1n-9 (marker of carnivory) may be a sign of the consumption of juvenile invertebrates. The high percentage of odd-numbered FA indicated the occurrence of detritivores/scavenger behaviours. The fatty acid composition of the eggs reflects adult feeding ecology (omnivorous) and habitat.

DOI

10.1007/s00227-008-0922-2

Volume

154

Issue

2

First Page

287

Last Page

294

Comments

©Springer-Verlag 2008

NSUWorks Citation

Joana Figueiredo, Gil Penha-Lopes, Justin Anto, Luis Narciso, and Junda Lin. 2008. Fecundity, Brood Loss and Egg Development Through Embryogenesis of Armases cinereum (Decapoda: Grapsidae) .Marine Biology , (2) : 287 -294. https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facarticles/401.