REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF RIDGED SWIMMING CRAB,

Charybdis natator, FROM ESTANCIA, ILOILO, WESTERN

PHILIPPINES

REY MALVIN A. PALLOMINA

An Undergraduate Special Problem Presented

to the Faculty of the Division of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
University of the Philippines Visayas

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Biology

June 2018
 CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL

The undergraduate special problem attached hereto, titled “Reproductive

Biology of the Ridged Swimming Crab, Charybdis natator, From Estancia, Iloilo,
Western Philippines” submitted by Rey Malvin A. Pallomina, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Biology, is hereby
accepted.

_________________________________
JULIE CORCINO-BAYLON, Ph. D.
Adviser, Thesis Committee
______________________
Date Signed

Accepted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of

Science in Biology.

_________________________________
FRANCES NIEVALES, M. Sc
Chair, Department of Biological Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences
______________________
Date Signed
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all, I want to give gratitude to my special problem adviser, Dr. Julie C.
Baylon, for guiding and giving me support in this study. Without her help, this special
problem wouldn’t be successful. Thank you for giving me tips on how to properly
conduct this study and for being patient in waiting for my submissions. I am truly
grateful that you are my adviser.
To my dear parents, Rito Pallomina and Marilou Pallomina, even though you
couldn’t even afford to have me sent here in UP, I am forever indebted and grateful
for giving me support morally, financially, and spiritually. Even though I am a
stubborn son, you two never got tired of being there for me and you always had my
back. To my father, thank you for working hard every day to support my special
problem even if it is costly. To my mother, thank you for your patience and
understanding even if I didn’t always obey your “dos and don’ts” in my stay here in
the university. Thank you and I love you.
To my brods and sisses in UP SCINTILLA JVRIS Fraternity and UP
STELLA JURIS Sorority, sorry for my flaws during my stay as a resident, but despite
all that, thank you for believing in me and supporting me to my journey. Right or
wrong, FIGHT!
To my special circle of friends, Rezlyn Parreño, John Marie Famoso, Mile
Jerson Klywiere, Vaughn Gio Villaruz, Loufel Grace Cerrada, Shienna Mae Gonzaga,
and Michael Ureta, thank you for being there when the world was at its worst. Thank
you for the endless laughter that made me positive until today. Without you guys
maybe I’ve gone insane ages ago.
And to Dannah Karoline Rivera, thank you for being my inspiration and
motivation in giving it my all in everything. I am truly grateful that you came into my
life and for always giving me hope when I’m at my lowest. Thank you for always
believing in me. Thank you for your love and support.
This special problem would not be possible without these people that
supported me in conducting this study.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE
Certificate of Approval……………………………………………………. ii
Abstract…………………………………………………………………… iii
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………….…... iv
Table of Contents…………………………………………………………. v
List of Figures…………………………………………………………….. vii
List of Tables……………………………………………………………… ix
List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………… x
List of Appendices………………………………………………………... xi
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background and
1
Rationale……………………………………
1.2.
1
Objectives…………………………………………………….
1.3. Significance of the
2
Study……………………………………..
1.4. Scope and
2
Limitations………………………………………...
CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1. Taxonomy…………………………………………………… 3
2.2. Morphology…………………………………………………. 4
2.3. Distribution………………………………………………….. 5
2.4. Habitat and Ecology…………………………………………. 6
2.5. Mating Reproduction………………………………………… 7
2.6. Reproductive Biology………………………………………... 8
2.6.1. Morphology and histology of gonad maturation…… 9
2.6.2. Occurrence of ovigerous females…………………... 11
2.6.3. Breeding and spawning season…………………….. 12
2.6.4. Minimum size at maturity………………………….. 14
2.6.5. Gonadosomic index………………………………… 15
CHAPTER 3. MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1. Collection site………………………………………………… 17
3.2. Collection of Samples………………………………………... 17
3.3. Determination of Sexes………………………………………. 19
3.4. Body Measurement…………………………………………... 20
3.5. Dissection…………………………………………………….. 21
3.6. Gonad Analysis………………………………………………. 22
3.6.1. Morphological characterization……………………. 22
3.6.2. Histological examination…………………………... 23
3.7. Analysis of Data……………………………………………… 23
CHAPTER 4. RESULTS
4.1. Morphological appearance of male and female gonads……… 24
4.2. Histological appearance of male and female gonads………… 30
4.3. Minimum size at sexual maturity……………………………. 31
4.4. Monthly percent occurrence of each gonad maturation stages 34
4.5. Monthly percent occurrence of male and female…………….. 36
4.6. Gonadosomic index…………………………………………... 37
4.7. Gonad index………………………………………………….. 38
CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION……………………………………………. 39
CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION………... 47
LITERATURE CITED…………………………………………………. 50
APPENDICES…………………………………………………………… 53
 LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE TITLE PAGE

3.1 Location of the Sampling Site in the map of 17

the Philippines
3.2 Sampling Site in Estancia, Iloilo 19

3.3 Process of catching crabs using hoop nets from 20

setting to harvesting

Dorsal and ventral side of male and female C.

3.4 21
natator

3.5 Measurement of carapace width on the widest part 22

of the carapace laterally from left to right

3.6 Crab dissection proceeding with a square-shaped 23

incision at the dorsal carapace

4.1 Microscopic view of ovaries in their immature, 24

early maturing, late maturing, fully mature stages
 LIST OF TABLES

TABLE TITLE PAGE

Size composition and size frequency distribution of

4.1 different stages of ovarian development in Charybis 31
natator
Size composition and size frequency distribution of
4.2 different stages of male gonad development in C. 33
natator

4.3 Percent occurrence of male and female Charybdis 35

natator for August 2017 to February 2018

Monthly occurrence of the different stages of gonad

4.4 maturation in male C. natator for August 2017 to 36
February 2018
Monthly occurrence of the different stages of gonad
4.5 maturation in female C. natator for August 2017 to 38
February 2018
 INRTODUCTION

Fisheries is one of the major industries found here in the Philippines, given the
location of the country, since it is found in the Pacific Ocean. The fisheries in the
Philippines are mainly composed of fishes, and shellfishes. One of the major marine
life products that is being marketed are crabs. Charybdis natator (Herbst, 1794)
commonly known as the “ridged swimming crab”, belongs to Family Portunidae, a
typical group of marine crabs which is widely distributed across Asia, Australia, and
Africa (Wee and Ng, 1995). Although uncommon and is not a major commercially-
fished species (Atlas of Living Australia) in comparison to other more abundant and
commercially important crabs, such as the mud crabs (Scylla serrata) and sand crabs
(Portunus pelagicus), the C. natator also contribute to crab fisheries in Asia and
Asutralia (Sumpton, 1990).

Crabs live in burrows in sandy beaches, mud in the rivers, and below the rocks
at the bottom of the ocean. But during mating season, large population of mature
crabs migrate to the ocean to copulate and sometimes this can be intervened by the
fisherfolk, and this could be a huge problem because if crabs fail to copulate, there
will be lesser population of crabs in the next generation.

This study aims to determine and describe the reproductive stages of C.

natator from Estancia, Iloilo, Western Philippines. The study also intends to identify
the monthly stages of gonad development of C. natator, through morphological and
histological analysis. Specifically, the study aims to determine: (1) the morphological
appearance of the gonads of C. natator at each stage of development, (2) the
histological appearance of the gonads of C. natator at each stage of development, (3)
size at sexual maturity of the crab, (4) the percent occurrence of each gonadal
maturation stage, and (5) the percent occurrence of male and female crabs from
September 2017 to February 2018.
 The information that will be gathered will be significant for the
implementation of regulatory measures for the management and conservation of the
remaining stock in the wild. There were a lot of studies on the reproductive biology of
distinct species of crabs but there is no or little information known about C. natator,
thus, the need for the present study. The results of this present investigation will also
be useful for the brood stock management in the future hatchery culture of this crab
species.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Description

Charybdis natator (Herbst, 1794) commonly known as the “ridged swimming

crab”, belongs to Family Portunidae, a typical group of marine crabs which is widely
distributed across Asia, Australia, and Africa (Wee and Ng, 1995). The family
Portunidae are groups of crabs which are mainly comprised of swimming crabs
(Bowling, 2012). Swimming crabs can be differentiated from walking crabs because
of their hind limbs, which are flattened, that acts as propellers for them to swim
efficiently. They are called ridged swimming crabs because of the ridges in their
carapace (Samuel, 2014).

Morphology

According to Wee and Ng (1995) in “The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology”, the

crab species Charybdis natator can be describe through the following: Carapace,
uniformly pilose, sparse granules on anterolateral surface; anterior carapace ridges
present except frontals, epibranchials interrupted by unbroken metagastric ridge,
posterior with one pair of cardiac and three short pairs of mesobranchial ridges; six
frontal lobes, medians on lower plane, projecting beyond egually broad submedians,
laterals acute, separated from sub medians by deeper V-shaped notch; inner
supraorbitallobe broder than frontals, bluntly triangular; six anterolateral teeth, first
tooth truncate, second to fourth subequal with acute tips, last spiniform and least
prominent. Basal antennal segment bearing short granular ridge. Chelipeds unequal,
granular and pilose; anterior border of merus with three to four spines; carpus with
strong spine on inner angle and three spinules at outer angle; manus with four spines
on upper surface and a spinule at distal end of outer border, lower surface with
transverse squamiform ridges; fingers stout, deeply grooved. Propodus of natatory leg
serrated on posterior border. Second to fifth segment of male abdomen keeled,
penultimate segment with lateral borders parallel then converging distally. G1 distal
tip slender and elongate, abdominal surface bears two rows of short terminal bristles
ending proximal to lip region, outer suface with row of longer bristles starting near tip
and extending proximally as widely spaced bristles. Pubescence of dorsal surface
brownish, granules bright red. Ventral surface bluish, mottled with white and pale red
(Wee and Ng, 1995).

The distinct reddish coloration of the anterolateral and frontal teeth, on the
granules and transverse carapace ridges are what make this species easily recognized.
It is similar to that of Charybdis granulata. Leene (1938), but it has since been
considered as a distinct species by Sakai (1976) and Miyake (1983). The under
surface of the manus of the chelipeds vary from having a transverse squamiform
arrangement to that of a surface with scattered granules (Wee and Ng, 1995).
Charybdis natator can grow its carapace ranging from 5 cm to 17 cm (Samuel, 2014).

Habitat and Ecology

Ridged swimming rock crabs, as the name implies, inhabits the bottom of the
ocean on rocky substrates or on coral reefs. They live ranging from 5 to 4 meters
below the sea levels (Samuel, 2014). They can also live on muddy or sandy substrate.
According to Sakai (1976), this species is found on the bottom of rocks, pebbles or
sand at depths of 15-35 meters.

Although uncommon and is not a major commercially-fished species (Atlas of

Living Australia) in comparison to other more abundant and commercially important
crabs, such as the mud crabs (Scylla serrata) and sand crabs (Portunus pelagicus), the
C. natator also contribute to crab fisheries in India and Asutralia (Sumpton, 1990).

Reproductive Biology

In the study conducted by Sumpton (1990), he used trapping methods to

collect samples of Charybdis natator in Moreton Bay, Queensland. Based from his
results, he observed that during the month of June and July there are more females
than males, but in other months the ratio of males to females is two to one. This is
maybe because of the spawning season of the C. natator during June and July. He
also found two major spawning peaks for C. natator. During winter the low
proportion of gravid females and high proportion of females with inactive gonads
indicate that C. natator does not spawn year- round in the subtropical waters of
Moreton Bay. Pillai and Nair (1976) found that the closely related Charybdis feriatus
bred throughout the year in southwestern Indian waters, although gravid females were
more common during January and February. It is thus likely that the cooler conditions
during winter in Moreton Bay limit the spawning activity of C. natator. The ridged
swimming crabs can ovulate up to three times and it was confirmed by ovary
examination that indeed the C. natator are inactive during winter season. Also, he
indicated in his study that the fecundity of a female crab ranges from 181,000 to
976,000. The reproductive biology of C. natator has similarities to other crab species
under the Family Portunidae (Sumpton, 1990).