The Biology of Crangon Vulgaris L. in the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary

Abstract

Collections of some 22,000 female and 6000 male Crangon vulgaris were made throughout the year from the shrimp fisheries of the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel. All animals were measured.The habits of the species are described; it can withstand a wide range of temperature but, though euryhaline, resembles other Decapoda in the inability to withstand low salinity combined with low temperature.Osmo-regulation is apparently largely inhibited at low temperatures and to a greater extent in the males than the females.Growth rate decreases with increasing age; in the female there is no increase in length when moulting from the ' neuter' to the egg-carrying intermoult. The duration of this intermoult, if spawning is successful, is about double that of the normal intermoult under the same temperature conditions. Growth almost ceases in the winter.Secondary sexual characters are described, especially the differences between the endopodites of the pleopods in the two sexes.Females become mature at a minimum length of 45 mm. in the Channel and seldom less than 50 mm. in the Estuary. The effect of the female sexual cycle on the size of the ovary and the form of the pleopods is described. The process of copulation is described; it can occur in the brackish waters of the estuary. Egg-laying always follows within two days of moulting into the egg-carrying condition but eggs are not retained if copulation has not occurred.The females lie on their sides during the act of spawning and the eggs are firmly attached within thirty minutes to the egg-carrying setae on the basipodites of the first to fourth pair of pleopods, then to those on the endopodite of the first pleopod, finally to those on the coxopodites of the last two pairs of pereiopods.