Long-Term Morphometric Variations in a Population of the Deep-Sea Shrimp Aristeus Antennatus (Risso, 1816) (Decapoda, Aristeidae)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyze possible morphometric variations in the relationship among various measurements of the body parts of Aristeus antennafus, in the course of a long period of time (30 years). The same appendages were measured in the same way and with the same precision in 1965 and 1995. To avoid differences caused by sexual dimorphism only females were analyzed. The relative growth of the tail appendages of Aristeus anfennatus (telson and externa1 uropod) increased. The scaphocerite and the abdomen length remained practically without change. The length of the articles of the third and fourth pereiopods did not differ, but the total length of the pereiopods was significantly reduced. The existence of possible morphometric changes in the swimming structures in relation to environmental changes is discussed, especially in relation to the decrease of food resource, and to benthic disturbance, caused by increasing fishing pressure. RESUMENEl objetivo del presente estudio es comprobar si existen diferencias morfométricas entre distintas medidas del cuerpo de Aristeus anfennatus, entre dos períodos de tiempo separados 30 años (datos procedentes de 1965 y 1995). Las medidas de los apéndices fueron tomados, en ejemplares hembras, de la misma manera y con la misma precisión en los dos períodos de tiempo. Se observó que el desarrollo de los aptndices caudales, urópodo externo y telson, tienen crecimiento alométrico, aumentando su tamallo relativo con el tiempo. El escafocerito y el abdomen permanencen inalterados, de la misma forma que los artejos de los pereiópodos tercero y cuarto. Estos últimos presentan una ligera tendencia a dismunuir su longitud, aunque de manera no significativa; sin embargo, la longitud total de los pereiópodos presenta una disminución significativa. Se discuten estos cambios de los apéndices natatorios en relación a los cambios ambientales, concretamente en función de la disminución del recurso alimentario y del incremento de la perturbación sobre el sustrato causado por el aumento del esfuerzo pesquero.O Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden. 1998

Carapace dentition patterns, morphometrics and allozyme differentiation amongst two toothed freshwater crab species (Potamonautes warreni and P. unispinus) (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamonautidae) from river systems in South Africa

“…The variation in dentition patterns between sites may be attributed to the result of abiotic factors (water temperature, changes in the chemical composition of water or changes in the¯ow regime) and biological factors (food availability and predation). These factors are well known to cause morphometric variation amongst sites between crustacean populations (Bas & Sarda, 1998) and other aquatic invertebrates (Katon & Foltz, 1994). Although these parameters were not examined in the present study, it is likely that certain of these factors may have led to the current variation in dentition patterns between P. warreni populations.…”

Morphometric study of the red shrimp Aristeus antennatus in the Eastern Mediterranean

“…In the Catalan Sea, Bas and Sardà (1998) detected longterm changes over a 30-year period of the relative growth of some female body parts. These differences were attributed to the increasing fishing pressure.…”

Can contrasting environmental conditions of mangroves induce morphological variability in <em>Aratus pisonii</em> (Crustacea: Brachyura: Sesarmidae)?

“…Morphometric studies based on multivariate tests have been carried out in decapod crustaceans for a variety of purposes, e.g. to study growth patterns and to determine sexual maturity (Grandjean et al 1997, Muiño et al 1999, Sampedro et al 1999, Fernandez-Vergaz et al 2000, as well as to study interpopulation (García-Dávila et al 2005) and intrapopulation variations in the same habitat (Maynou andSardà 1997, Bas andSardà 1998) or between habitats (Anastasiadou and Leonardos 2008, Contreras et al 2013, Deli et al 2014. Body shape is the main phenotypical component in an organism, and may affect other traits, such as feeding efficiency, locomotion, predation susceptibility and reproductive success (Guill et al 2003).…”