Moulting and growth in earlier and later moulters of adolescent male snow crabs (Chionoecetes opilio) (Brachyura: Majoidea) under laboratory conditions |
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| Authors: | Takeo Yamamoto Tatsuya Yamada Takahiro Kinoshita Yuji Ueda Atsushi Yamasaki Katsuyuki Hamasaki |
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| Institution: | 1. Obama Laboratory, Japan Sea National Fisheries Research Institute (JSNFRI), Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA), Obama, Japan;2. National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, FRA, Yokohama, Japan;3. Niigata Laboratory, JSNFRI, FRA, Niigata, Japan;4. Fisheries Technology Department, Kyoto Prefectural Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries Technology Center, Miyazu, Japan;5. Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan |
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| Abstract: | Growth and moulting of male adolescent snow crabs were investigated in a laboratory culture experiment. The moulting season of adolescents was separated into two groups of earlier and later, and they were regarded as normal and skip moulters, respectively. The existence of male snow crab skip moulters was first demonstrated in the Sea of Japan. Although the precise moulting season of the earlier moulter could not be revealed owing to the captive method, the later moulter is suspected to moult approximately 1 year after the earlier moulter. Earlier and later moulters were not different in growth of carapace width or chela height during the pubertal and terminal moult. Our moult and growth results of earlier and later moulters will be useful for predicting recruitment to legally fishable (>90 mm carapace width) or valuable (hard-shelled adult) populations of male snow crab in the Sea of Japan. |
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| Keywords: | Crustacea pubertal moult skip moulter terminal moult |
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