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Population characteristics of the mole crab, Hippa adactyla Fabricius, in the intertidal sediment at Kavaratti Atoll, Lakshadweep Islands

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Population characteristics of the mole crab, Hippa adactyla Fabricius, in the intertidal sediment at Kavaratti Atoll, Lakshadweep Islands
 
Creator Ingole, B.S.
Sreepada, R.A.
Ansari, Z.A.
Parulekar, A.H.
 
Subject population dynamics
population characteristics
intertidal environment
breeding
ecology
Hippa adactyla
 
Description Some population characteristics of a little known mole crab Hippa adactyla from the sandy intertidal habitat of Kavaratti atoll, Lakshadweep islands, were studied for understanding the resource potentials besides some features of breeding behavior. The study is based on the detailed examination of 1140 specimens collected from the intertidal beach during November 1993. The specimens were in the size range of 8.84-22.56 mm carapace length (CL). The population of mole crab consisted of three modal size classes, dominated by the newly recruited or the '0' year individuals. The size at maturity of female crabs (estimated from the smallest egg bearing females) was 10.14 mm CL. The egg bearing population constituted more than 60% of the total observed specimens of mole crab, and over 80% of the 'I' and 'II' year population carried eggs. Mean fecundity was estimated to be 1628.61 plus or minus 853.13 eggs/female/clutch, with a large variation in the total number of eggs per female. Regression analysis of fecundity with length and weight (wet weight) revealed that fecundity correlated better with length (r = 0.86) than weight (r = 0.82). However, the differences between regression values were insignificant. Thus mole crab species possess great potential for commercial exploitation especially in oceanic environment, like Lakshadweep islands, where food resources are limited. The information on the population parameters provided here therefore would be useful for sustainable exploitation
 
Date 2009-01-11T11:47:47Z
2009-01-11T11:47:47Z
1998
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Bulletin of Marine Science, Vol.63; 11-20p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1881
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [1998]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Rosenstiel School of Marine Sicence