Original scientific paper
Growth rate and molt cycle of adriatic spiny lobster (P. elephas) maintained in controlled conditions
Alen Slavica
; Katedra za biologiju, patologiju i uzgoj divljači, Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Zdravko Janicki
; Katedra za biologiju, patologiju i uzgoj divljači, Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Dean Konjević
; Katedra za biologiju, patologiju i uzgoj divljači, Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Krešimir Severin
; Katedra za biologiju, patologiju i uzgoj divljači, Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb
Abstract
During period of two years growth rate and molt frequency of sub-adult Adriatic spiny lobsters (Palinurus elephas) maintained in controlled condition were recorded. All specimens (154) in experiment showed rhythmic molt cycle, in a manner that majority of tested lobsters (90.4 %) have molt twice a year – in spring and autumn period. No significant difference in growth rate and molt rhythm between specimens of opposite sex was observed before first sexual maturity, but sexually matured females showed lower growth rate than sexually matured males. During each molt length growth of sub-adult lobsters was in average 2.0 to 2.5 cm, what imply that average yearly growth rate was between 4 and 5 cm. According to fact that first sexual maturity of spiny lobsters in Adriatic was recorded at total length (TL) of 21 cm minimum, it is obvious that Adriatic spiny lobsters need at least four years to reach the length of first sexual maturity. All studied lobsters manifested two types of sexual maturity – physiological and functional, and in most specimens (87.5 %) physiological sexual maturity (spring molt) has shown half a year earlier than functional sexual maturity (autumn molt).
Keywords
lobster; growth rate; first sexual maturity
Hrčak ID:
21214
URI
Publication date:
15.7.2004.
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