Resumen de Introducción al estudio de la alimentación en la nécora, "Macropipus puber" L. (Decapoda-Brachyura): N.º 242
In this paper the feeding of the velvet swimming crab Macropipus puber (L) in mussel rafts areas is studied.
We add some records on food items as well as on seasonal variation. We analyze it according to the sex, intermolt cycle period and size of the crabs.
- The velvet swimming crab has got profit from the mussel culture at least in three ways:
a) The mussel forms a great deal of its feeding.
b) The abundance of the crab Pisidia longicornis (L) is explained by the presence of mussel rafts, being this the species most rewarded by this new habitat and constitute the most important food of its diet.
c) The transformation of the bottom provoked by the mussel rafts has profited the velvet swimming crab.
- The several food items appear all over the year. The specimens in the B_2 state of the intermolt cycle, show the highest average of stomachs with food. The velvet swimming crab feeds a lot during all the year, possibly related to the stability of the water temperature in deep waters.
- We can’t assure that there exists any important difference in the feeding among males, females and berried females, but it does in the specimens in the B period which show the highest average according to the seaweeds.
- In the specimens from the size class over 41 mm long it is given the biggest frequency of occurrence of echinoderms, being the only element of the diet which differs significatively from the ones under this size.
