Age Determination of the Spider Crab Maja squinado and the European Lobster Homarus gammarus by 228 Th/ 228 Ra Chronology: Possible Extension to Other Crustaceans

A method of age determination was developed on carapaces of the spider crab, Maja squinado Herbst and European lobster Homarus gammarus L., by measuring the natural radionuclides activity ratio, 228 Th/ 228 Ra in the exoskeleton. This method allows the determination of the time elapsed since the pre...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Main Authors: Foll, Didier Le, Brichet, Evelyne, Reyss, Jean Louis, Lalou, Claude, Latrouite, Daniel
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1989
Subjects:
Aquatic Science
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
European lobster
Homarus gammarus
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f89-091
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f89-091
Description
Summary:A method of age determination was developed on carapaces of the spider crab, Maja squinado Herbst and European lobster Homarus gammarus L., by measuring the natural radionuclides activity ratio, 228 Th/ 228 Ra in the exoskeleton. This method allows the determination of the time elapsed since the preceding molt of the animal. It was successfully tested on five spider crabs and four lobsters which had molted in captivity and therefore had a carapace of known age. It is probable that the method could, with some reservations, be extended to all marine Decapod Crustacea bearing a well calcified exoskeleton.

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