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• Autor(a) principal: Góes, João Marcos de
• Data de Publicação: 1998
• Outros Autores: Fransozo, Adilson
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Biotemas (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/biotemas/article/view/21931

Heterochely varies intensively among different species of decapod crustaceans, and this trait may be of help in sex differentiation. The aim of the present study was to determine the occurrence of heterochelly between males and females of Eriphia gonagra and between animals of the same sex, as well as to characterize the shape of teeth of the chela. Specimens were collected from January to December 1993 and a total of 465 animals were measured. There was a predominance of larger right chelae, most of which presented molariform teeth. Crabs are considered to be the major predators of molluscs, and it may be supposed that the handedness occurs because most of the shells of marine gastropods are dextrogerous. This heterochely condition coincides with the pattern detected in other Xanthidae species and differs from most Brachyura families.