Mating Behaviour and Larval Development of the Blue Crab, Callinectes amnicola (De Rocheburne) from a Tropical Estuarine Lagoon.
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Date
2012
Authors
Lawal-Are, A. O.
Kusemiju, K.
Nwankwo, D. I.
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Abstract
Mating / pre-copulation behavior of the blue crab, Callinectes amnicola (De Rocheburne) from the Lagos Lagoon, a tropical estuary was monitored in the laboratory. Mating occurred at salinity of 15‰. During this period the make clamped the female in a “cradle carry” style for 3 days and internal fertilization probably took place. Plankton hauls from the lagoon yielded the early zoea, (stage 4), late zoea (stage 6) and megalopa larvae of the blue crab in the months of March and April, the peak of the spawning season. The salinity of the lagoon in the western part where plankton collection was made ranged from 20.5 - 24.5‰. The wide salinity gradient in the Lagos Lagoon allowed the blue crab to complete appreciable part of its life cycle stages in the lagoon.
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Keywords
Mating; Larval development; Salinity; Blue crab; Tropical estuary