The first findings and occurrence of Latreillia ellegans Roux in the Adriatic

Abstract

      1. The first findings of the decapod crab Latreillia elegans  R o u x  in the Adriatic sea occured in the course of the Fishery Biological Expedi­tion M. V. »HVAR« in 1948-1949. 71 specimens were captured in the high Adriatic, 29 of which were males and 40 females, while 2 damaged indi­viduals were of unknown sex.

      2. This species was not found in the more shallow northern section of the Adriatic. It occurs in depths of 100 m upwards (we worked mostly up to about 250 m, and in rare cases up to 400 m). The findings, accordingly, are supplemental to the alredy available data on the bathimetric distri­bution of this species as its most shallow finding place occurred at a depth of 150 m.

    3. This decapod species was found not only on sand-bottom but on mud-bottom as well. That fact adds to hitherto available data given by the literature, according to which the occurrence of this species was found on sand bottom and on coral biotope.

    4. The temperature of the sea water close to the bottom, at the sta­tions which were positive as to Latreillia elegans  R o u x, variyng between 11.4 and 14.8° C, and the salinity running between 37.81 and 38.78 ‰. No dependence of the distribution of Latreillia elegans  R o u x  upon these factors could be found within the investigated area. The factor of depth remains, then, for the time being, as the only perceivable factor respon­sible for the distribution of this species.

     5. Females in berry were found in January (1949), May, June, July, September and November (1948). During some months, which are not quoted here, our work did not always involve depths suitable for this species or no work at all was done owing to the interruptions of our cruise. The period of propagation appears, however, to be widely extended in time.

     6. Eggs were counted in the case of six females. The number of eggs varied from 496 to 1976. The eggs are not conspicious owing to the fact that they are of the same colour as the carapace. The diameter of the eggs runs from 0.34 to 0.56 mm. The material was preserved in 4% formalin.

     7. It has been determined that the female individuals are bigger than the male ones. The mean value of length, resulting from a limited num­ber of available specimens, amounts to 11.67 mm for males and 12.71 mm for females.