Seasonal Variations in the Biochemical Composition and Reproductive Cycle of the Ghost Crab Ocypode quadrata (Fabricius, 1787) in Southern Brazil

The ghost crab, Ocypode quadrata, is found on sandy beaches from the United States to Southern Brazil. Because there is still little information about the metabolism and reproduction of O. quadrato on the southern coast of Brazil, the objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the effect of seasonal variations on the carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism of O. quadrata at Rondinha Beach, a beach with high anthropogenic activity, and to compare it with data from Siriu Beach, which has less human activity; and (ii) describe the effect of seasonal variations on the histological characteristics of male and female gonads, in order to assess the reproductive capacity of the crabs. The gonads of male crabs showed no significant variations in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and glycogen levels; however, histological analysis of the testes revealed that they are mature in the summer. In females, the GSI and glycogen values are higher in summer, concomitantly with the presence of mature oocytes. These results suggest that the reproductive peak of O. quadrata occurs in summer. The seasonal analysis of the biochemical parameters, as well as comparison with Siriu Beach, demonstrated that the ghost crabs of Rondinha Beach have a different pattern of metabolism than those of Siriu. This difference may be a consequence of differences in the environmental conditions as well as in the anthropogenic pressures, such as vehicle traffic and the increase in human population at the beach in summer. J. Exp. Zool. 313A:280-291, 2010. (C) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.