Population structure and fecundity in Uca virens Salmon & Atsaides, 1968 (Decapoda: Ocypodidae) in southern Tamiahua Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico

Fiddler crabs are common decapods of intertidal zones; thirteen species have been reported along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, inhabiting different zones. For the southern region of the Tamiahua Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico, five species have been identified: Uca panacea, U. rapax, U. spinicarpa, U. virens and U. vocator particularly in the southern region of the Tamiahua Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico. Here we analysed the fecundity of U. virens in 25 ovigerous females out of 387 individuals collected between December 2008 and December 2009 during eight field trips and from five collection sites. Morphological measurements like carapace length (CL) and carapace width (CW), and total wet weight (TWW) for all individuals collected were taken, and total egg number was counted for ovigerous females . The total population was divided in nine size class intervals. Total egg number varied between 3,617 and 41,099. Egg number increased with CW (ranging from 9.0 to 18.6 mm CW) and TWW. Values of fecundity observed for U. virens in Tamiahua Lagoon vs other Uca species were similar to results reported in literature.