Growth and Reproduction of palaemon pacificus and P. serrifer

Abstract

The growth and reproduction of Palaemon pacificus and P. serrifer were studied in a rearing experiment and materials collected almost bi-weekly during a period from May 1987 to November 1989 in Tateyama Bay, Chiba Prefecture. The life span of P. pacificus and P. serrifer is estimated at 12 to 15 months and 13 to 16 months, respectively. The body size is larger in P. pacificus than P. serrifer. Breeding season of P. pacificus and P. serrifer lasted from May through November and from April through October, respectively. Incubation period of P. pacificus and P. serrifer is 10 to 20 days and 11 to 19 days, respectively. Juvenile P. pacificus and P. serrifer appeared from May and July, respectively. Spawning is carried out by yearling and hibernated individuals in both species. In P. serrifer, however, most off-spring are produced by the hibernated spawning group. P. serrifer carries more numerous but smaller eggs than in P. pacificus. Thus, the difference on reproductive ecology between the two species was recognized. © 1991, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.