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Epibiosis in deep-sea crab populations as indicator of biological and behavioural characteristics of the host

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

P. Abelló ,
R. Villanueva  and
J. M. Gili
P. Abelló
Affiliation:
Institut de Ciències del Mar, Passeig Nacional s/n, 08039 Barcelona, Spain
R. Villanueva
Affiliation:
Institut de Ciències del Mar, Passeig Nacional s/n, 08039 Barcelona, Spain
J. M. Gili
Affiliation:
Institut de Ciències del Mar, Passeig Nacional s/n, 08039 Barcelona, Spain
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Extract

Incidence of epibiosis has been studied in the deep-water portunid crab Bathynectes piperitus in the Benguela upwelling region. The serpulid polychaete Spirorbis cf. patagonicus, the hydroid Stegopoma plicatile and the stalked cirripede Poecilasma kaempferi were the commonest epizoitic species. Analysis revealed some biological and ecological features of the host population: the species does not have a terminal moult; both sexes show different moulting patterns; sexual maturity occurs at around 35 mm carapace length; there is asynchronous moulting among different sub-populations in different geographical areas; burying behaviour appears to be not very widespread.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 70 , Issue 4 , November 1990 , pp. 687 - 695
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1990

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