Fecundity and egg size of three shrimp species, Crangon crangon, Palaemon adspersus, and Palaemon elegans (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea), off Sinop Peninsula (Turkey) in the Black Sea

Abstract

The fecundity and egg size of 3 shrimp species, Crangon crangon. Palaemon adspersus, and Palaemon elegans, were studied off Sinop Peninsula in the Black Sea. Shrimps were sampled by beam trawl with a beam length of 3 m and 10 mm codend mesh size. Mean fecundity of C. crangon females was 2297 ± 134 (range: 910-3630). Mean egg size (shortest x longest axis) at early and late embryonic development stages was 0.472 ± 0.005 mm × 0.509 ± 0.008 mm and 0.489 ± 0.003 mm × 0.627 ± 0.004 mm, respectively. Mean fecundity of female P. adspersus was 1963 ± 144 (range: 758-3710). Mean egg size (shortest × longest axis) at early and late embryonic development stages was 0.585 ± 0.005 mm × 0.739 ± 0.011 mm and 0.622 ± 0.005 mm × 0.851 ± 0.008 mm, respectively. Mean fecundity of female P. elegans was 1057 ± 88 (range: 308-2628). Mean egg size (shortest × longest axis) at early and late embryonic development stages was 0.455 ± 0.005 mm × 0.567 ± 0.007 mm and 0.479 ± 0.008 mm × 0.707 ± 0.007 mm, respectively. Fecundity of all species was positively correlated to the size of the individuals. Egg size for each species increased with increased embryonic development stages. ANOVA results showed that mean egg size was significantly different between early and late embryonic developmental stages of all shrimp species (P < 0.05). © TÜBİTAK.