Reproductive Cycle and Size at First Maturity in Females of Brown Crab <i>Callinectes Bellicosus</i> (Stimpson 1859) in the Southwestern Gulf of California, Mexico

Abstract The reproductive cycle of the crustacean family Portunidae on coast Pacific is not well known. Therefore, and size at first maturity brown crab Callinectes bellicosus its relationship with environmental factors in El Colorado Lagoon, Ahome, Sinaloa has been determined. A total 360 females were collected from March 2012 to 2013. gonads fixed 10% formalin, histological cuts made by paraffin inclusion method hematoxylin eosin staining technique. diameter oocytes was determined stage. estimated a logistic model. Females showed gametogenic activity during entire study period. period November 2012, two spawning peaks, September Maturity inversely influenced temperature (r = -0.4454, P &lt; 0.05) no influence salinity observed (P &gt; 0.05). significant differences between development stages gonad 0.001). 11.57 cm carapace width for C. .