Biol Bull. 2022 Feb;242(1):16-26. doi: 10.1086/718263. Epub 2022 Feb 8.
AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate the factors modulating the female reproductive performance of the fiddler crab (Nobili, 1901) during the short reproductive season of a temperate population. We proposed two modulating factors: the age of females (young and old) and the periods of the reproductive season (beginning, middle, and end); we then evaluated the fecundity, reproductive output, egg volume, and biochemical composition of eggs. The fecundity of was affected by the size of females, a variable related to their age. Although young females showed lower fecundity, the reproductive output was not affected by the age or by the periods of the reproductive season, suggesting a constant reproductive effort, proportional to female size. The egg volume decreased, and carotenoid content increased at the end of the season for both female ages, probably as a consequence of variations in food availability and changes in the breeding strategies during the season. However, the content of protein and lipids in the egg clutches decreased at the end of the season only in old females spawning for the second time in the season. The main differences in the reproductive parameters were recorded between the beginning and the end of the reproductive season, probably because in these periods females exclusively use one of the breeding strategies. Finally, we determined that both factors, that is, female age and the periods of the short reproductive season, can modulate the reproductive performance of in temperate estuaries.
摘要 本研究旨在评估在温带种群短暂的繁殖季节中，调节招潮蟹（Nobili，1901）雌性生殖性能的因素。我们提出了两个调节因素：雌性的年龄（年轻和年老）和繁殖季节的时期（开始、中期和结束）；然后评估了生殖力、生殖输出、卵体积和卵的生化组成。 的生殖力受雌性大小的影响，这一变量与它们的年龄有关。虽然年轻的雌性生殖力较低，但生殖输出不受年龄或繁殖季节时期的影响，这表明生殖努力是恒定的，与雌性大小成比例。卵体积在季节末期减小，而类胡萝卜素含量在两个年龄段的雌性中都增加，这可能是由于食物供应的变化和季节期间繁殖策略的变化所致。然而，只有在第二次产卵的老年雌性中，卵簇中的蛋白质和脂质含量在季节末期才会下降。在繁殖季节的开始和结束之间记录到生殖参数的主要差异，这可能是因为在这些时期，雌性只使用一种繁殖策略。最后，我们确定，女性年龄和短暂繁殖季节的时期这两个因素都可以调节温带河口 的生殖性能。
