Gulf St tes Marine Fisher Commiss1 January 1995 o. 1 A PROFILE OF 1HE WF.STERN GULF STONE CRAB, Memppe adim by , The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission TCC Crab Subcommittee edited by Vince Guillory Harriet M Perry Richard L. Leard published by Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission P.O. Box 726 Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39566-0726 January 1995 Number 31 A publication of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award Number NA26FI0026-03. This paper is funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies. ACKDOWieagements The GSMFC, TCC Crab Subcommittee gratefully acknowledges the support for and technical critique of the profile by Dr. Theresa Bert (Florida Department of Environmental Protection). We also thank Ms. Christine Trigg (Gulf Coast Research Laboratory [GCRL]) for supplying physiological data and technical review, Mr. Charles Dugas (Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries [LDWF]) for morphometric data from the fishery, Mr. Lee Usie (National Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS]) for landings data, and Mr. Walter Brehm (Clinical Research Laboratory, Keesler Air Force Base) for statistical analysis of data. We are also grateful for editorial review by Ms. Marjorie Williams (GCRL), Mr. Paul Prejean (LDWF), and Mr. Martin Bourgeois (LDWF). Special appreciation is extended to Mr. Dave Donaldson (GSMFC) for preparation of graphics and to Ms. Cindy Yocom for her special attention and dedication to the quality of this document. 1 Table of Omtents Page 1. 0 ltttrod11Ction . 1-1 2.0 Biological Description . 2-1 2.1 Classification . 2-1 2.2 Mo:rphology ............................................................... 2-2 2.2.1 l..arvae . 2-3 2.2.2 Juveniles . 2-3 2.2.3 Adults . 2-3 2.3 Age, Growth, and Maturation ................................................... 2-5 2.3.1 I...arvae .................................................................. 2-5 2.3 .2 Juveniles . 2-6 2.3.3 Adults .................................................................. 2-7 2.3.3.1 Size at Maturity .......................................................... 2-7 2.3 .3 .2 Age at Maturity . 2-7 2.3.3.3 Growth and Molting . 2-7 2.3 .3 .3 .1 Seasonality . : . 2-8 2.3 .3 .3 .2 Effects of Size . 2-8 2.3.3.3.3 Effects of Autotomy and Declawing .......................................... 2-8 2.3 .3 .3 .4 Variations by Sex · . 2-8 2.3 .3 .4 Claw Regeneration/Handedness . 2-9 2.4 Reproduction .............................................................. 2-9 2:4.1 Sex Ratios . 2-9 2.4.2 Mating and Fertiliz.ation . 2-10 2.4.2.1 Mating . 2-10 2.4.2.2 Fertiliz.ation . 2-10 2.4.3 Gonadal Development . 2-11 2.4.4 Spawning . 2-11 2.4.5 Fecundity ............................................................... 2-14 2.5 Pathology/Parasitology . 2-14 2.6 Trophic Relationships ....................................................... 2-14 2.6.1 l..arval Food llabits . 2-14 2.6.2 Juvenile Food llabits ....................................................... 2-15 2.6.3 Adult Food llabits ........................................................ 2-15 2.6.4 Predator-Prey Relationships . 2-16 2. 7 Movement and Migration . 2-16 2.8 Recruitment . 2-17 2.9 General Behavior . 2-18 3.0 Geographic Distribution and Habitat .............................................. 3-1 3 .1 Geographic Distribution . 3-1 3 .2 General llabitat Conditions . 3-1 3 .2.1 l..arvae . 3-1 3.2.2 Juveniles ................................................................ 3-1 3 .2.3 Adults . 3-1 3.2.4 Community Interrelationships .................................................. 3-2 3.3 Environmental Tolerances ..................................................... 3-2 3.3.1 Temperature and Salinity . 3-2 3.3.1.1 l..arvae . 3-3 3 .3 .1.2 Juveniles . 3-4 11 ..J • ..J .1 •..J .t\.UUlCS • • • • • . • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • . • • • • • • • • . • . • • • • . • . • 3-4 3.3.2 Dissolved Oxygen .......................................................... 3-6 3.3.3 Pollutantsffoxicants . 3-6 4.0 Description of the Ftshety . 4-1 4.1 Commercial Fishery .......................................................... 4-1 4.1.l Texas .................................................................. 4-1 4.1.2 l,ouisiana . 4-5 4.2 Recreational Fishery ......................................................... 4-5 4.3 Fishery-Related Population Characteristics .......................................... 4-5 4.3.l Texas .................................................................. 4-9 4.3 .2 l,ouisiana . 4-9 4.3.3 Mississippi .............................................................. 4-13 4.4 Fishery-Related Population Characteristics of M aiina ................................ 4-15 4.4.l Morphometric Relationships .................................................. 4-15 4.4.2 Biological Population Characteristics ............................................ 4-16 4.4.3 Implications for Management . 4-17 4.5 Potential for Directed Fishery Development . 4-18 4.5.l Texas ................................................................. 4-18 4.5.2 l,ouisiana ............................................................... 4-18 4.5.3 Mississippi .............................................................. 4-19 4.6 Mari.culture . 4-19 5.0 Rt:des rutd. :Regulations . 5-1 5.1 Florida (State Waters) ........................................................ 5-1 5.2 Alabama, Mississippi, and I.,ouisiana . 5-1 5.3 Texas . .. 5-2 5.4 Federal . 5-2 5.4.1 Size Restrictions . 5-2 5.4.2 liarvest Practices . 5-2 5.4.3 Seasons . 5-3 5.4.4 Closed Areas . 5-3 5.4.5 Gear Restrictions . 5-3 5.4.6 Vessel Enumeration . 5-3 5.4. 7 Statistical Reporting . ..