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and Spider crabs are unusual, though not unique, among Crustacea in that they be- come mature only after the final ecdysis (Hartnoll, 1963). Thus, mature specimens cannot grow, and the size distribution of such specimens will depend predominantly upon factors influencing the growth, surviv- al, and maturation of immature individuals. The mature specimens of a species vary in size only because the final molt, or "puber- tal molt," occurs over a wide size range. Thus, in Hyas coarctatus, mature males ranged from 12-40-mm carapace length (Hartnoll, 1963). In an earlier study (Hartnoll, 1963), it was noted that three populations of the spider crab H. coarctatus Leach from around the Isle of Man differed considerably in the mean size of mature individuals of both sexes. The mean carapace length ranged from 20- 29 mm in males, and from 17-28 mm in females. The reasons underlying these dif- ferences were not examined in depth at the time. Recently, another study of spider crabs around the Isle of Man (Bryant, 1991) rein- vestigated H. coarctatus, and another spe- cies also studied previously, Inachus dor- settensis (Pennant). For each species, two populations were studied, one of them cor- responding to a population
Journal of Crustacean Biology – Brill
Published: Jan 1, 1993
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