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Morphology of the female reproductive system and reproductive cycle of the mangrove land crab U cides cordatus ( L .) in the B aía de A ntonina, P araná, B razil
Author(s) -
CastilhoWestphal Gisela G.,
Ostrensky Antonio,
Pie Marcio R.,
Boeger Walter A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/azo.12000
Subject(s) - vitellogenesis , biology , spermatheca , mangrove , ovary , spermatophore , reproductive biology , female reproductive system , zoology , reproduction , reproductive system , reproductive behavior , oogenesis , reproductive cycle , ecology , andrology , anatomy , oocyte , mating , embryo , botany , embryogenesis , endocrinology , fishery , demography , population , family planning , sociology , research methodology , sperm , medicine
Abstract U cides cordatus is a species of considerable ecological and socioeconomic importance. The goal of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the reproduction biology of this species by describing the macroscopic anatomy, the histology of the female reproductive system and the reproductive cycle of U . cordatus . A total of 367 females were obtained from O ctober of 2002 to M arch of 2005 during monthly collections in the B aía de A ntonina, P araná, B razil. Specimens were submitted to necropsy and their reproductive systems (ovary and spermathecae) were analysed histologically. Permanent slides were stained with H arris' hematoxylin and eosin, M allory's trichromic and the periodic acid‐ S chiff reaction. Ovarian analysis allowed for the determination of five developmental stages based on the prevalence of oocytes in different phases of vitellogenesis. During stage V , when ovaries recover from spawning, the presence of oocytes in advanced stages of vitellogenesis was detected, suggesting that there could be more than one spawning in a single reproductive period. Females in stage IV were most common in the spring (November through February), whereas females with their egg mass exposed were most frequent from November through March. The reproductive period of U . cordatus in mangroves of the study region occurred from O ctober to M arch. The reproductive events observed in the present study suggest that spermatophores acquired during copulation, which takes place during the ‘andada’, are only used in the reproductive period of the following year.