GROWTH OF THE BLUE SWIMMER CRAB, PORTUNUS PELAGIC US (LINNAEUS, 1758) (DECAPODA, BRACHYURA) IN CAPTIVITY

摘要

The growth of hatchery produced Portunus pelagicus crabs was monitored under laboratory conditions by recording growth at each moult from the 1~(st) crab instar onwards. Male and female crabs attained sexual maturity by their 12~(th) and 14~(th) moult, respectively. The experiment lasted for 455 days when the last crab died. This paper describes the growth of male and female crabs in each moulting stage, with details of their carapace width and length, chelar length and height, abdominal width and length, and total weight. Moulting frequency, secondary sexual characteristics, and moult increments were also monitored. VBGF (Von Bertalanffy Growth Formula) fit was obtained using the methods of Gulland & Holt (1959), Fabens (1965), and Munro (1982). The L_∞ values calculated by the different methods ranged between 204.1 and 219.8 mm in males, and between 188.6 and 211.8 mm in females.