Extension of the Stunting Range in Ovigerous Females of the Mangrove Crab Aratus pisonii (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Grapsidae)

In Crustacea, suppression or retardation of growth has been attributed to several factors, including supra- or subnormal salinities, scarcity of food, parasites, dessication, or other stressful physical conditions. However, few examples of stunting in the Brachyura are known; particularly in the terrestrial or semiterrestrial species, a group where information on growth is fragmentary (Hartnoll, 1988). Aratus pisonii , an abundant arboreal crab that lives on mangrove trees, has shown a notorious size and life history plasticity, that seems to be associated to habitat productivity. A population of undersized individuals, including unusually small ovigerous females, was reported living on shrubby Rhizophora mangle . In the present paper we report ovigerous females of A. pisonii , found living on scrub R. mangle (height < 1.75 m), that are smaller than those registered in other studies of this crab.