GROWTH OF THE ADULT MALE KING CRAB 



59 



60 



50 



45 



40 





SI 35 



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One molt 



-Two molts 



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Deviation in millimeters 



FiGUEE 3. — Deviations of carapace length recovery measurements from release measurements. The shaded histogram 

 represents 128 within-year tag recoveries. The unshaded histogram represents 32.5 tag recoveries showing 

 growth. 



of tliese deviations shows the presence and pro- 

 gression of at least two dominant size groups and 

 one deficient size group. Since the juvenile crab 

 studies have not progressed sufficiently to allow 

 assignments of ages to the size groups represented, 

 we have considered the size increase in relation to 

 the time of entry into the sample of each dominant 

 and weak group. These groups are designated for 

 reference as A, B, and C. 



Table 2. — Range and mean size hy year for size groups A, 

 B, and C in figure 4 



Dominant group A, shown first in the 1955 dis- 

 tribution, advances through the successive years 

 to 1959 where it appears to include a rather wide 

 range of sizes, (iroiip B, which is characterized 

 by a scarcity of crabs, is observed to progress 

 from 1950 through 1959. Dominant size group 

 C first became evident in 195" and appears to be 

 reduced after 2 years' progression. The reduc- 

 tion of group C is, in part, due to the method of 

 using deviations from a mean, in which the 

 strength of one size group, such as indicated by 

 A in 1956 and 1957, may affect the plotted strength 

 of another. 



In order to present more clearly the progres- 

 sions of these groups, the range and mean lengths 

 were calculated, and are listed in table 2. In fig- 

 ure 5, the progressions of mean values of each 

 group are plotted on years after first entry in the 

 samples. Also included is the mean progression 



