Latitudinal variation in reproductive performance of hermit crabs (Anomura: Paguroidea) in two marine provinces along the Brazilian coast

ABSTRACT

We performed a comparative analysis of fecundity and reproductive effort of two hermit crab species, Clibanarius antillensis and Calcinus tibicen, distributed along the two marine provinces in Brazilian coast. Samples of both species were manually collected during spring low tides on a two-month basis, from February 2011 to January 2012 at locations separated by ~ 3000 km: North-eastern (NE) region – Pedra Rachada Beach (Ceará); South-eastern (SE) region – Araçá Beach and Grande Beach (São Paulo). The size of ovigerous females, as well as the fecundity values, egg volume, internal volume of occupied shells, and reproductive effort were analysed, and the results evidenced significantly higher values for females of both species collected in SE localities. In females collected NE, there was also the presence of aberrant eggs, which influenced the reproductive parameters analysed for these species, resulting in lower reproductive effort. Biomass invested in egg production varied between populations, but ovigerous females of SE invested a higher percentage of their weight in the production of its egg mass, showing significant differences in the reproductive effort. Variation in reproductive performance detected for both species may be related to latitudinal location and associated to the habitat’s characteristics.

KEYWORDS:

• Calcinidae
• Diogenidae
• egg production
• paguroids
• reproduction

Acknowledgments

This study was completed by FBR in order to partially fulfil the requirements for a Master’s degree in Tropical Marine Science at the Federal University of Ceará. This study was supported by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) that supplied a Master’s of Science Scholarship to FBR (Ciências do Mar – Processo 0532/2010); additional support to sampling in the north-eastern region came from CAPES (Ciências do Mar II – Processo 2005/2014 – 23038.004308/2014-14) and in the south-eastern region came from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (Projeto Temático Biota 2010/50188-8). LEAB and FLM thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) (PQ 310165/2020-2 and 302253/2019-0, respectively). LEAB also thanks Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Chief Scientist Program) for their financial support. The authors would like to thank Dr Alexandre Oliveira de Almeida for comments during defence of the dissertation and to anonymous reviewers for corrections and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [302253/2019-0]; Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior [Ciências do Mar – Processo 0532/2010]; Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [Chief Scientist Program]; Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [Projeto Temático Biota 2010/50188-8].