WENNER ET AL.: EXPLORATION FOR GOLDEN CRAB 



Geryon fenneri 



cant differences, however, were noted in mean 

 carapace width (tg = 0.85, P > 0.05) and mean 

 body weight itg = 1.48, P > 0.05) of females from 

 these same strata. 



Of the two traps used, the Fathoms Plus trap 

 caught larger and heavier golden crabs than did 

 the Florida trap. Mean carapace width (y = 143 

 mm, s - 19.69, n = 1303) of crabs in the Fathoms 

 Plus trap was significantly larger than that of 

 crabs in the Florida trap (y = 139, s = 20.21, 

 n = 1914) Us = 5.478, P < 0.001]. A statistically 

 significant difference was also noted for mean 

 weight (Fathoms Plus: y - 928, s = 366.77, 

 n = 775; Florida: y = 881, s = 377.69, n = 951) 

 [t, = 2.598, P < O.obl]. 



Figure 2. — Width-frequency distribution.s of male and female 

 Geryon fenneri caught in traps, y = mean; s = standard devia- 

 tion; n = number of individuals. 



O 



z 

 ai 



Z) 



o 



m 



DC 



LU 



O 

 cc 



LU 

 Ql 



20- 



15- 



10- 



FEMALE 



y = 1 13 mm 

 s= 19.99 

 n =166 



E 



1 — \ — \ — \ — I — I — \ — \ — r I I 1 



90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180 190 200 



CARAPACE WIDTH (mm) 



Table 4. — Least-square linear and geometric mean functional regression equations of carapace length 

 (CL) and live body weight (WT) on carapace width (CW) for each sex of Geryon fenneri. Length and 

 width units are millimeters while weight units are kilograms. All least square regressions were signifi- 

 cant at a = 05. 



Sex 



Least squares equation 



GM functional equation 



Male CL 



log 10 



Female CL 



log,o WT 



9 5 + 0.9 CW 

 WT = -4.74 + 3,54 (logig CW) 



4.0 + 0.8 CW 



-3.97 + 3.14 (logio CW) 



3,042 0.95 CL= -11.9 -H 0.9 CW 



1 ,453 0.94 logio WT = -4.99 + 3.66 (logio CW) 



141 0.92 CL = 0.7 + 0.8CW 



74 0.91 logio WT= -4.27 -^ 3.29 (logio CW) 



Table 5. — Size and weight statistics of male and female Geryon 

 fennen horn sampled depth strata y = mean: s = standard devi- 

 ation, n = number of individuals. 



Reproductive Biology 



We obtained satisfactory histological sections 

 from 39 of 72 female golden crabs examined. 

 From histological and gross examination we de- 

 scribed four ovarian developmental stages: 

 Dearly, 2) intermediate, 3) advanced, and 

 4) mature. 



In the early stage of development, the slightly 

 lobate ovary is very small, transparent to white 

 in color, and bounded by fibrous connective tis- 

 sue. Oocyte diameter ranged from 58 to 92 ixm 

 with a mean of 75 fxm (Fig. 3A). Nuclei and nucle- 

 oli are readily apparent in the early oocytes, as 

 are follicle or accessory cells which surround each 



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