First Record of the Epizoic Octolasmis angulata (Cirripedia) on Maja squinado (Herbst, 1788) (Majoidea, Crustacea) from Çanakkale, Türkiye

Abstract

Some morphometric and biological characteristics of a European spider crab, Maja squinado (Herbst, 1788) caught off Aksaz region, (Biga, Çanakkale, Türkiye) were investigated. In addition, an epizoic species infesting this M. squinado specimen has been identified. The crab specimen was caught by a commercial fisherman using trammel nets. Carapace length, carapace width and weight of the crab were 15.9 cm, 14.5 cm, and 1109 g respectively. The specimen was an ovigerous female with a calculated fecundity of 3.48x104 eggs. Eggs were in stage 4th of development and covered the whole carapace region. Additionaly, it was observed that the specimen was infested with the epixoic barnacle Octolasmis angulata (Aurivillius, 1894). A total of 46 O. angulata individuals were observed; 32 from the gill lamellae, and 14 from the carapace. This study reports the existence of the epizoic O. angulata on Maja squinado for the first time in Türkiye.

Keywords

• spider crab
• epizoic
• barnacle
• çanakkale