Morphology of the female reproductive system of the red-clawed mangrove tree crab ( Goniopsis cruentata Latreille, 1803)

Abstract

The present study describes the morphology of the female reproductive system and the development of the germ cells of the crab Goniopsis cruentata. Specimens were collected monthly from the mangrove of the Ceará River (Brazil) for study of the reproductive system. The ovarian lobes unite near the middle of the cephalothorax and extend to the third abdominal segment. The ovaries connect to spermathecae draining into a short oviduct. Microscopically, four types of germ cells were identified. Four stages of ovary development were defined based on macroscopic and microscopic features. The association of ovary development stages with biometric measures shows that ovaries of females with triangular abdomens and a carapace width (CW) of 21.0-29.3 mm were in the previtellogenic stage, while those of females with rounded abdomens and a CW of 26.4-46.1 mm varied with regard to maturity, the majority being late-stage vitellogenic or mature. The organisation of the female reproductive system of G. cruentata is similar to that of most other brachyurans, except for the extension of the ovaries to the abdomen.