Morphometric relationships and seasonal variation in size, weight, and a condition index of post-settlement stages of the Caribbean spiny lobster.

ABSTRACT: Spiny lobsters have a protracted pelagic, oceanic larval phase. The final larval stage metamorphoses into a non-feeding postlarva (puerulus) that actively swims towards the coast to settle in shallow habitats and does not resume feeding until after the molt into the first-stage juvenile. Therefore, the body dimensions and nutritional condition of both settled pueruli and first juveniles are likely to vary over time, potentially playing a crucial role in the recruitment to the benthic population. We compared carapace length (CL), height (CH), and width (CW); total length (TL), and body weight (W) between pueruli and first juveniles of the Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, as well as morphometric relationships between both developmental stages. Except for CL, all other dimensi

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Calderon R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6063251 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature