Iheringia: Série Zoologia (Jun 2006)
Maturidade sexual das fêmeas de Callinectes danae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Portunidae) nos estuários dos rios Botafogo e Carrapicho, Itamaracá, PE, Brasil Sexual maturity of females of Callinectes danae (Crustacea, Decapoda, Portunidae) in the estuaries of the Botafogo and Carrapicho rivers, Itamaracá, PE, Brazil
Abstract
Callinectes danae (Smith, 1869), siri-azul, constitui um importante recurso pesqueiro nos estuários dos rios Botafogo e Carrapicho. O objetivo do presente estudo foi estimar a maturidade sexual das fêmeas de C. danae. Os espécimes foram capturados, entre outubro de 2003 a junho de 2004, com auxílio de um barco de pesca equipado com rede de arrasto do tipo "wing-trawl" e arrastados durante 5 minutos. No laboratório, os siris foram contados, numerados, sexados, pesados e mensurados. A largura da carapaça (LC) foi medida na base do espinho lateral e a largura do abdome (LA) mensurada na altura da articulação do quinto esternito abdominal. Um total de 596 fêmeas de C. danae foram analisadas: 417 (69,97%) no rio Botafogo e 179 (30,03%) no Carrapicho; as fêmeas não-ovígeras apresentaram LC de 18,38 a 101 mm (59,14 ± 13,65 mm) e 26,70 a 83,48 mm (59,16 ± 13,77 mm), nos respectivos rios; a LC de fêmeas ovígeras foi de 57,04 a 83,30 mm (67,68 ± 6,56 mm). As médias de larguras das carapaças não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas O conhecimento da maturidade sexual das fêmeas de Callinectes danae é de grande importância para o seu manejo e conservação. O L50 gonadal foi estimado em 63,58 mm (chi2 = 140,47; g.l. = 1; p Callinectes danae (Smith, 1869) is an important fishery resource in the Botafogo and Carrapicho river estuaries. The aim of this study was to estimate the sexual maturity of C. danae. Specimens were captured between October 2003 and June 2004 with the aid of a fishing boat equipped with a wing-trawl and trawling took place during 5 minutes each time. In the laboratory, the crabs were counted, numbered, sexed, weighed, and measured. The carapace width (CW) was measured at the base of the lateral spine and the abdomen width (AW) was measured at the point of the articulation of the fifth abdominal esternite. A total of 596 females of C. danae were analyzed: 417 (69.97%) from Botafogo River and 179 (30.03%) from Carrapicho River; no ovigerous females had CW between 18.38 and 101 mm (59.14 ± 13.65 mm) and 26.70 and 83.48 mm (59.16 ± 13.77 mm), in the respective rivers; the CW of ovigerous females ranged from 57.04 to 83.30 mm (67.68 ± 6.56 mm). The average carapace widths were not significantly different statistically in both estuaries. The knowledge of sexual maturity of C. danae is extremely important for its management and conservation. The gonadal L50 was estimated in 63.58 mm (chi2 = 140.47; df = 1; p < 0.01) and 61.59 mm (chi2 = 90.94; df = 1; p < 0.01) for the estuaries of the Botafogo and Carrapicho rivers, respectively. The morphological L50 was 57.13 mm (chi2 = 484.51; df = 1; p < 0.01) for the Botafogo River and 56.46 mm (chi2= 257.82; df = 1; p < 0.01) for the Carrapicho River. In both estuaries, the morphological maturity of C. danae females occurred before gonadal maturity; thus, to guarantee that this species be managed successfully, fishing must only be allowed for specimens with carapace width over 65 mm.
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