Reproductive aspects of Hepatus pudibundus associated with fauna associated with small-scale trawling, Praia do Perequê, Guarujá - SP, Brazil S. B.S. Lichewitz, J. L. Santos, A. A. Almeida

Abstract

Hepatus pudibundus (Herbst 1785) is a species of brachyurian crustacean easily captured in southeastern Brazil as a companion fauna of the seven-beard shrimp ( Xiphopenaeus kroyeri ), with a large numerical participation and high frequency of occurrence in captures. It constitutes an important indication in evaluating the impact of trawling on benthic communities associated with shrimp. This study aims to improve knowledge regarding the reproductive aspects of the crab H. pudibundus (Herbst 1785) captured by small-scale trawling for seven-beard shrimp, at Praia do Perequê, Guarujá, SP, Brazil, comparing them if the period from 2014 to 2017, between the different seasonal periods. The crustaceans were measured using the following morphometric data: carapace length (Cc), carapace width (Lc) and identified, weighed, sexed and classified according to their stage of gonadal maturation. The coefficient of determination (r²) was used to verify the correlation between the variables obtained for subsequent regression analysis. In the summer of 2014, of 56 individuals, 30 were ovigerous females, 14 non-ovigerous females and 12 males. With an average of 1.71g of eggs per female. In winter 2015, out of 178 individuals, 14 were ovigerous females, 119 non-ovigerous females and 45 males. With an average of 1.63g of eggs per female. Presenting an average of 23,640 thousand eggs counted per gram of eggs collected. The sex ratio found was different from what was expected (1:1), with an evident predominance of females in both years. Therefore, it is now possible to confirm that this species is highly important in the biomass of the carcinofauna accompanying the seven-bearded shrimp, and in both seasonal periods there was a predominance of females and an absence of juveniles.