Relative Growth and Sexual Dimorphism in the Red Frog Crab Ranina ranina (Decapoda: Raninidae).

Abstract

The relative growth of several body parts and the morphology of pleopods were examined in reared and captured individuals of Ranina ranina. Sexual dimorphism occurred in the pleopods at instar I, on the abdomen of individuals over 34mm carapace length, and on the cheliped in individuals over 70mm carapace. In females puberty molt was estimated to occur at 40-45mm carapace length, using the relative growth of abdomen width In males the relationship between dactylus or propodus length of the cheliped and the carapace length was described by two or three power regression equations. The point of contact of the logarithmical ly transformed linear equations was 26 and 74mm in dactylus length and 73mm in propodus length. A growth-reproduction model of R. ranina based on changes in the relative growth is discussed. © 1993, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.