only a few were taken at the offshore stations 

 (12 and 13). Uca spp. larvae were taken in 

 equal numbers at both the 1-m and the 8-m 

 depths. The megalops stages were collected 

 only during August, September, and October. 



Neopanope spp. occurred from May through 

 November and were most numerous at the 8-m 

 depth and inshore stations. This genus was 

 found only four times at stations 12 and 13, 

 and only at the 8-m depth. 



Pinnixa spp. occurred at all stations and 

 during all months of sampling, May through 

 November. Occurrence was greatest at the 

 8-m depth. 



Portunus gibbesii occurred in relatively large 

 numbers at all stations from May through No- 

 vember. More were taken at the 1-m depth 

 and higher concentrations occurred from May 

 through August. The offshore stations were 

 more productive. 



Hepatus spp. occurred in relatively large 

 numbers during July, August, and September; 

 best catches were near the surface at offshore 

 stations. 



spawning (black sponges observed) of C. sim- 

 ilis occurred during September and October, 

 while peak spawning of C. sapidus occurred 

 during June, July, and August. Even though 

 some overlap in spawning occurred, this time 

 difference in "prime hatching periods" could 

 serve as a guide in separating the larvae of 

 the two forms. 



Portunus gibbesii are year round inhabitants 

 of this area occurring in greater numbers dur- 

 ing June, July, and August. Females bearing 

 egg masses were found principally during May 

 and June. 



Ovalipes ocellatus were numerous during 

 June and July and probably are winter spawn- 

 ers because only four were taken with sponge, 

 two in October, one in December, and one in 

 February. The larvae were not identified in 

 our plankton collections but could have been 

 one of the unknowns. 



Portunus spinimanus were most abundant 

 from July through October. Only a few sponge 

 females were taken, mostly in June. The lar- 

 vae were not identified in our plankton col- 

 lections. 



Juvenile and Adult Crabs 



One of the more abundant species collected 

 with the bottom trawl was the blue crab, Cal- 

 linectes sapidus (Table 4). Adults were quite 

 common from June through September, and 

 immature forms were more abundant during 

 June and July. The adult population was al- 

 most 95% females. Male crabs are generally 

 found in the lower saline waters of this area, 

 primarily in the upper Newport River, Neuse 

 River, etc. More than 50% of the females 

 caught during June, July, and August had a 

 sponge (egg mass on the abdomen). The blue 

 crabs caught during January and February 

 1963 were taken in an area where clam dredges 

 were operating. Blue crabs normally are bur- 

 ied in the soft bottom and are not available to 

 trawl gear at this time. Trawl samples in 

 areas away from the dredge areas did not con- 

 tain blue crabs. 



Callinectes similis also were common and oc- 

 curred during most months but were most 

 abundant during July and August. Peak 



SUMMARY 



Larval, juvenile, and adult forms of 11 fam- 

 ilies and some 28 species were collected in the 

 vicinity of Beaufort Inlet. Several other un- 

 identified larval crab species were also collected 

 during the study. Most species occurred in 

 greatest numbers during summer and early 

 fall. Generally only first and second stage Cal- 

 linectes larvae were collected; other species 

 were not identified as to stage. The megalops 

 stage of only five genera were collected and 

 in relatively small numbers. 



Trawl studies indicated when different crab 

 species were most prevalent and when larvae 

 might be present by noting females with egg 

 mass. Sex ratios were approximately the same 

 for most species except Callinectes sapidus, 

 which were predominantly female both as im- 

 matures and as matures. 



Larval, juvenile, and adult crabs collected in 

 the Beaufort Inlet area during 1962 and 1963 

 are shown in Table 5. 



