Growth and reproductive dynamics of adult female Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister ) in northern California

A total of 12,034 adult female Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister ) ranging in carapace width from 91.6 to 172.9 mm were tagged and released in northern California waters. A molt increment regression line, based on 111 single-molt tag recoveries and 166 laboratory molting records, showed that average...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal du conseil - Conseil international pour l'exploration de la mer 1989-01, Vol.46 (1), p.94-108
Main Authors: Hankin, D G, Diamond, N, Mohr, MS, Ianelli, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cancer magister
Marine
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Summary:A total of 12,034 adult female Dungeness crabs (Cancer magister ) ranging in carapace width from 91.6 to 172.9 mm were tagged and released in northern California waters. A molt increment regression line, based on 111 single-molt tag recoveries and 166 laboratory molting records, showed that average molt increments declined linearly from about 21 to 12 mm as carapace widths increased from 90 to 150 mm. Size-specific annual molting probabilities, estimated from shell-condition data, exceeded 0.90 for crabs with carapace widths less than 135 mm but then declined rapidly to near zero at carapace widths exceeding 160 mm. Estimated annual survival rates averaged 0.11 for crabs exceeding 155 mm; survival rates for smaller crabs are probably greater, but could not be estimated.
ISSN:0020-6466