Recruitment of Blue Crab, <i>Callinectes sapidus,</i> Postlarvae to the Back-Barrier Lagoons of Virginia's Eastern Shore

<p>Most research on the early life history of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, has been conducted in large partially stratified estuaries such as the Chesapeake Bay. In contrast, little is known about the recruitment dynamics or habitat requirements of blue crab postlarvae (megalopae) in shallow well-mixed lagoonal systems that make up a considerable part of the species' range. In Virginia's coastal lagoons, planktonic blue crab megalopae are most abundant at night on flooding tides, and are not abundant during the daytime or on ebbing tides. This appears to enhance retention within the lagoons, despite the short residence time of water in the system.</p> <p>Seagrasses are largely absent from the lagoons and megalopae use benthic macroalgae as a settlement habitat. Laboratory experiments demonstrate that macroalgae is an effective refuge from predation for newly settled megalopae. Megalopae appear to recognize waterborne cues in the lagoon that enhance recruitment by initiating premolt and reducing the time spent in the megalopal stage within the lagoons. Intermolt megalopae exposed to lagoon water quickly advance to premolt and molt to the juvenile stage in approximately 2 days. In contrast, intermolt megalopae held in shore waters appear to delay metamorphosis until estuarine cues are recognized.</p> <p>The results of this study illustrate some of the adaptations that aid blue crab megalopae in the recruitment to coastal habitats. These adaptations include the ability to recognize and distinguish between inshore and offshore waters, the ability to modify swimming behavior in inshore waters to effect landward transport, and the ability to utilize alternative settlement substrates in the absence of seagrasses.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Ocean & Earth Sciences

Year dc:date.available

1996

Author dc:creator

• Brumbaugh, Robert D.

Contributors dc:contributor

• John R. McConaugha
• Mark J. Butler IV
• Richard B. Forward, Jr.
• Anthony J. Provenzano

• Blue crab
• Eastern Shore (Virginia)
• Lagoons
• Aquaculture and Fisheries
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Oceanography

Statement dc:rights

• <p>In Copyright. URI: <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).</p>

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/oeas_etds/23

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.odu.edu:oeas_etds-1032