Growth at Moult, Intermoult Period, and Moulting Seasonality of the Spider Crab Maja Brachydactyla: Combining Information from Mark-Recapture and Experimental Studies

An analysis of growth at moult (for both the prepubertal and terminal moults), moulting seasonality and the intermoult period in the spider crab Maja squinado in the Ría de A Coruña (NW Spain) was carried out based on a mark-recapture experiment. Crabs between 70 and 130 mm carapace length (CL) undergo a mean increase at moult of 32.4% from their pre-moult size. Generalised Linear Models (GLMs) were used to construct growth models, employing a combination of information from the mark-recapture study and other previous studies performed in both laboratory and extensive culture, to estimate the effects of the biological variables and the study method. No differences were found in the growth rate between males and females. However, the effects of the study method, the pre- moult CL and the interaction between them were significant. The smallest-sized crabs undergo a greater increase in size in the laboratory and culture studies, while the largest individuals undergo greater growth in the field. The mean intermoult period estimated for prepubertal moults in the field ranged from 50 to 86 days, which