Temporal distribution of true crab catches in the Persian Gulf (Bandar Abbas region)

Faghirdoost, Razieh; Safaie, Mohsen; Shahdadi, Adnan

Volume 14, Issue 4 (winter 2025) J. Aqua. Eco 2025, 14(4): 32-40 | Back to browse issues page

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Faghirdoost R, Safaie M, Shahdadi A. Temporal distribution of true crab catches in the Persian Gulf (Bandar Abbas region). J. Aqua. Eco 2025; 14 (4) :32-40
URL: http://jae.hormozgan.ac.ir/article-1-1129-en.html

Temporal distribution of true crab catches in the Persian Gulf (Bandar Abbas region)

Razieh Faghirdoost

, Mohsen Safaie ^*

, Adnan Shahdadi

Abstract: (351 Views)

This study examined the species composition of true crabs caught in stake nets (moshta) located in the intertidal area of Bandar Abbas over the course of one year, from January 2023 to January 2024. Monthly sampling was conducted at three moshta locations: Soro, Khaja Ata, and Nakhal Nakhoda along the Bandar Abbas coast. Crabs were identified based on their external morphological features, and biometric data, including the carapace length and width and the weight of the specimens, were recorded. During the study period, four crab species from two families, Portunidae and Matutidae, were identified. The Portunidae family included Portunus segnis, P. sanguinolentus, and Charybdis annulata, while the Matutidae family contained only Matuta planipes. The catch composition revealed that P. segnis was the most dominant species, accounting for 79.4% of the total catch, followed by P. sanguinolentus (19.4%), C. annulata (0.7%), and M. planipes (0.4%). Analysis of monthly and seasonal catch data showed that P. segnis exhibited significant abundance throughout the year at all three sampling locations. P. sanguinolentus was most abundant in the Nakhal Nakhoda region, particularly during the second half of the year (October to March), and was observed occasionally in the Khaja Ata region during spring, autumn, and between April to June and October. It was not observed in the Soro region. Other species, including C. annulata and M. planipes, were found sporadically in some months of the year, exclusively in the Nakhal Nakhoda area. The carapace width of male and female P. segnis crabs differed during the study, with male crabs ranging from 21 to 149 mm (average 81.33 ± 2.29 mm) and female crabs ranging from 23 to 124 mm (average 88.45 ± 2.47 mm).

Keywords: Persian Gulf, Moshta, Broad Crab, Portunidae, Matutidae

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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Published: 2025/02/17