Abstract

CAMPOS, Néstor Hernando; LAGOS, Ana Milena; BERMUDEZ, Adriana  and  MARQUEZ, Edna. Population structure of the king crab Damithrax spinosissimus in the Colombian Caribbean region. Rev. acad. colomb. cienc. exact. fis. nat. [online]. 2015, vol.39, n.153, pp.491-502. ISSN 0370-3908.  https://doi.org/10.18257/raccefyn.261.

The biological and population study of the king crab Damithrax spinosissimus is essential to establish management plans for this species in the Colombian Caribbean region. This study provides information on size, sex ratio and biometric relationships of D. spinosissimus in three Colombian Caribbean islands (Providencia, Rosario and Tintipán), based on monthly surveys conducted between September 2011 and March 2012. A total of 462 individuals were collected. The sex ratio was 1:1 with 51.5% of females and 48.4% of males. Similarly, the proportion of ovigerous and non-ovigerous females was 1:1. The average shell length (LC) was 11.6 cm for both males and females, while the width of the shell (AC) was 11.9 cm for females and 12.1 cm for males. The average shell length was 13.67±1.18 cm in Providence, 10.25±1.34 cm in Islas del Rosario and 10.4±1.14 cm in Tintipán. The relationship between carapace length and width was described by the equation LC=-0.393186+1.06755*AC, whereas the relationship between the total weight (P) and the carapace length was described by the equation Ln P=-1.64254+3.36711 Ln LC.

Keywords : Biology; Caribbean; king crab; Damithrax; population structure.

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