Abstract

Fisheries management requires a thorough understanding of the processes involved in reproduction, including the ability to distinguish sexually mature individuals. The Jonah crab, Cancer borealisStimpson, 1859, occurs from Newfoundland to Florida, but the fishery is concentrated in New England. The crab contributes to a significant and growing male-driven fishery; however, little is known about its life history. We investigated the relationship between morphometrics and physiological maturity, and the size at which these life changes occur in the southern New England stock. The size at 50% sexual maturity (SM₅₀) in male C. borealis was estimated morphometrically to be 105.9 mm carapace width (CW). This size is larger than the estimate of 98.3 mm CW for the species in the Mid-Atlantic Bight but lower than the estimate of 127.6 on the Scotian Shelf, consistent with a poleward gradient in size at maturity. The gonadosomatic index differs significantly between CW size groups, maturity status, and season whereas spermatophore size was not related to CW. Fisheries management should include multiple measures of sexual maturity and consider factors including geographical distribution when establishing and assessing guidelines for this economically important species.

中文翻译：

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雄性约拿蟹的形态测量和生理成熟度，Cancer borealis Stimpson，1859 年（十足目：Brachyuura：Cancridae），美国新英格兰南部

摘要

渔业管理需要对繁殖所涉及的过程有透彻的了解，包括区分性成熟个体的能力。约拿蟹，Cancer borealis Stimpson，1859 年，从纽芬兰到佛罗里达，但渔业集中在新英格兰。螃蟹有助于雄性驱动的重要渔业的发展；然而，人们对其生活史知之甚少。我们调查了形态测量学和生理成熟度之间的关系，以及新英格兰南部种群发生这些生命变化的大小。雄性C.borealis在 50% 性成熟时的大小 (SM ₅₀ )在形态测量学上估计为 105.9 毫米背甲宽度 (CW)。该尺寸大于大西洋中海湾物种的 98.3 毫米 CW 估计值，但低于苏格兰大陆架上物种的 127.6 毫米估计值，与成熟时尺寸向极地梯度一致。CW 大小组、成熟状态和季节之间的性腺体指数显着不同，而精细胞大小与 CW 无关。渔业管理应包括性成熟的多种衡量标准，并在为这一具有重要经济意义的物种制定和评估准则时考虑包括地理分布在内的因素。