SERUM PROTEIN CONCENTRATION AND SOMATIC INDEX IN RELATION TO MORPHOMETRIC MATURITY FOR MALE SNOW CRAB, CHIONOECETES OPILIO (O. FABRICIUS, 1788), IN THE BAIE DES CHALEURS, CANADA (DECAPODA, BRACHYURA)

• Published in: Crustaceana
• Main Authors: Comeau, Michel, Lanteigne, Marc, Cormier, Roland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Brill 1999
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Aquatic Science; Canada; Chionoecetes opilio; Snow crab
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854099503546; https://brill.com/view/journals/cr/72/5/article-p497_4.xml; https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/cr/72/5/article-p497_4.xml

Abstract The serum protein concentrations of juvenile and mature male snow crabs, Chionoecetes opilio, were measured using a refractometer. The somatic indices of juvenile and mature male snow crab were calculated using the weight of the dry flesh of the chelae versus its wet weight. Results indicate that juvenile male snow crab have significantly higher serum protein concentrations and significantly lower somatic indices than their mature counterparts. These observations are attributed to basic physiological differences that could be explained by a terminal moult. Les concentrations en proteines seriques de males juveniles et a maturite du crabe des neiges Chionoecetes opilio ont ete mesurees au moyen d'un refractometre. Les indices somatiques de ces individus ont ete calcules en utilisant le rapport entre le poids sec et le poids humide de la chair. Les resultats indiquent que les individus males juveniles ont des concentrations en proteines seriques significativement plus elevees et des indices somatiques significativement plus bas que les individus males matures. Ces observations sont attribuees a des differences physiologiques de base qui peuvent etre expliquees par une mue terminale.