Variabilidad en la abundancia y retención de larvas de crustáceos decápodos en el estuario de Bahía Blanca, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

Distribution of larvae of decapod crustacean was studied in the Bahía Blanca estuary with the objective of testing the hypothesis that some species can be retained in the estuary and other can be dispersal offshore waters and can be reinvaded. Larvae of 30 species were identificated, the most abundance corresponding to Chasmagnathus granulata (84%) and Cyrtograpsus altimanus (60%) respectively. A high number of stages of these species were found between 120 km and 80 km in the inner zone of the estuary with 6000 ind/100 m3. The maximum density was found at 110 km (12.441 ind/100 m3). And here was found life cycle of Ch. granulata and C. altimanus. In the mouth of estuary, the density of both species decayed. The same tendency was observed to Majidae and Xanthidae zoeas. Pagurus exilis, Pinnotheres maculatus, Pinnixa patagoniensis and Corystoides chilensis were less abundant but their densities were incremented offshore waters.