“Size at the onset of sexual maturity in the anomuran crab, Aegla uruguayana Schmitt, 1942 (Aeglidae)”.

VIAU V, LÓPEZ G., LS, BOND-BUCKUP G, RODRÍGUEZ EM.

Santinho, Florianópolis, Brasil

Congreso; 3rd Brazilian Crustacean Congress and 2004 TCS Summer Meeting; 2004

Sociedad Brasilera de Crustáceos

The size at the onset of sexual maturity was studied in the Aeglid crab Aegla uruguayana from Areco River (31º 14´ S, 59º 28´ W), Argentina. Sexual maturity was determined according to both criteria: gonadal (o histological) and morphometric (size at the change in the allometric growth of secondary sexual characters). Additionally, the description of gonadal morphology and the changes of the sexual tube morphology during maturation were studied. The results indicate that morphometric maturity occurs prior to gonadal maturity for males. For females, the relationship between the two criteria was more complex: morphometric maturity is previous to gonadal if the abdomen width is consider and the opposite fact is observed if the chelae length is considered. There was a “puberty molt” for both sexes. The gross morphology of gonads resembles other brachyura and anomura except by the absence of spermatophores in A. uruguayana; this is an unique feature within the Anomura. Morphological changes in the sexual tube of males is an useful character to be considered as indicator of sexual maturity in A. uruguayana. Finantial support: This work was supported by the binational CAPES/SECYT project Nº50/03