PAGURIDAE 



Hermit Crabs 



Megalopa of the hermit crab were found infrequently, varying in number from 

 1 to 15 specimens. None appeared in collections made in February, March, or 

 December of any year and were observed only during November in 1956 and 

 October in 1957. 



PORTUNIDAE Swimming Crabs 



Zoeae and megalopa of swimming crabs occurred in varying abundance 

 throughout the period as shown in figure 10. Adults of the common blue crab, 

 C'lUinectes sapidtis, are year-round inhabitants of the lagoon and are particularly 

 abundant during the summer months. On numerous occasions, zoeae and megalopa 

 were held through the juvenile stage in small aquaria. In each instance they 

 proved to be C. sapidus, and evidently this commercially important species com- 

 prises a large percentage of the early stages of swimming crabs presented in 

 figure 10, especially those that occurred from June to October. C danae Smith, a 

 closely related species, is known to occur in the area but was not identified in 

 any of the samples. 



JAN 

 (41) 



CATEGORIES OF ABUNDANCE 



NONE 



I 51 101 500 1500 10,000 + 



50 100 500 1500 10,000 



OCYPODIDAE 



( )-N0. Of fOW» 



Figure 10.— Percentage occurrence of crab zoeae 

 and megalopa in categories of abundance (No- 

 vember 1953 - May 1958). 



Fiddler Crabs 



Fiddler crabs {ilea pugnax S. I. Smith) were moderately abundant along the 

 shore of area "A" as well as the rest of the lagoon and provided an excellent 

 source of bait for those anglers addicted to sheepshead fishing. 



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