Size and weight of Cardisoma crassum and Ucides occidentalis collected by artisanal fishing in Chame, Panamanian Pacific

Abstract

Semi-terrestrial crabs play an important role in the ecosystem dynamics of mangroves and also serve as an economic support for coastal communities through artisanal fishing development. There is limited information available on the exploitation, marketing, and biometric parameters of crabs in Panama, with some of these studies being conducted in the Gulf of Montijo on the Pacific coast. Our study aims to contribute to this topic by conducting an exploratory analysis of the size and weight of Cardisoma crassum (blue crab) and Ucides occidentalis (red crab) in a different location within the same coast, namely, Cresta de Chame. Sampling was carried out over a 5-month period from March to July 2022, and the biometry of 314 crabs was analyzed. Our results indicate that, on average, the cephalothorax width of crabs in this area is lower than the values reported for the Gulf of Montijo.