Population Structure and Reproductive Biology of the Endangered Crab Deiratonotus japonicus (Brachyura, Camptandriidae) Surveyed for Nine Years in the Kita River, Japan

Abstract

Deiratonotus japonicus (D. japonicus) is known as a near-threatened species, because of the changing conditions of its habitat. This species resides in isolated locations and in upstream, brackish waters from Kanagawa Prefecture to Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. In this study, we investigated the population structure and reproductive biology of D. japonicus in the Kita River, Japan. The distribution, sex ratio, breeding season, and fecundity were assessed at bimonthly intervals during spring low-tide periods from May 2001 to November 2008 and from November 2014 to January 2016 for approximately nine years. A total of 3525 crabs were collected during the sampling period: 1806 (51.2%) males, 1240 (35.2%) non-ovigerous females, and 479 (13.6%) ovigerous females. The overall sex ratio (1:0.95) did not differ significantly from the expected 1:1 ratio. The mean maximum density was 26.1 and 36.5 indiv./m2 for the first and second sampling periods, respectively, in the sampling station 5.2 km from the Kita River mouth, and all individuals were typically found approximately 4.4–6.8 km (13.2 ± 7.8 indiv./m2) from the Kita River mouth. Carapace width (CW) ranged from 2.6 to 13.5 mm in males and from 2.8 to 13.4 mm in females and was significantly different between the two sexes (p < 0.05). Ovigerous females were found almost throughout the entire sampling period, with breeding peaks between July and September. The smallest ovigerous female had a CW of 3.9 mm. The seasonal frequency distribution suggested the continuous recruitment of young juveniles (CW < 3.9 mm) throughout the year, with peaks from September to November. The mean fecundity was 1008.3 ± 183.1 (8.3 ± 1.6 mm) eggs. Egg number in relation to CW was calculated by the formula egg number (EN) = 110.36 × CW + 90.96 (R2 = 0.948, n = 41, p < 0.0001). Regression analysis showed that fecundity was closely associated with female CW. Our results indicate that the performance of reproductive biology depends not only on continuous breeding but also on recruitment throughout the year in our study area.