Reproductive periodicity of the tropical crab Callinectes arcuatus Ordway in Central America

The Gulf of Nicoya, an estuary on the Pacific coast of Central America, contains a large population of the portunid crab Callinectes arcuatus. Results of a 12 month survey indicated that spawning activity occurs throughout the year, but with a distinct peak during the five-month dry season (December-April). Mature females were most prevalent in the upper regions of the gulf during the rainy season and appeared to migrate to the lower gulf to spawn during the dry season. Patterns of spawning and apparent migration differed from those reported in an earlier study of C. arcuatus along the Pacific coast of Mexico.     

Lunar rhythms in the egg hatching of the subtidal crustacean: Callinectes arcuatus Ordway (Decapoda: Brachyura)

The Gulf of Nicoya, an estuary on the Pacific coast of Central America, contains a large population of the portunid crab Callinectes arcuatus. Results of a 12 month survey indicated that spawning activity occurs throughout the year, but with a distinct peak during the five-month dry season (December-April). Mature females were most prevalent in the upper regions of the gulf during the rainy season and appeared to migrate to the lower gulf to spawn during the dry season. Patterns of spawning and apparent migration differed from those reported in an earlier study of C. arcuatus along the Pacific coast of Mexico.     

Population ecology of fiddler crab, Uca lactea annulipes (Decapoda: Ocypodidae) in Sirik mangrove estuary,Iran

Fiddler crabs are known as the most conspicuous bioturbating animals in mangrove forest, which by their burrowing activities promote nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Mangroves, crabs and bacteria are connected in the form of positive feedback loop, whereby an increase in the activity of any participant will tend to increase the activity of all others as well. Population structure, growth, mortality, recruitment, biomass and production of fiddler crabs as dominant species of deposit-feeder crabs have been investigated from May 2005 to March 2006 in the Sirik mangrove estuary in the eastern part of Strait of Hormuz. Ten 1 m² squares of the substrate were randomly sampled during low tide. There was a significant change in organic content in the sampling area during study period. The sex ratio was significantly deviated from 1:1 ratio in large sizes, where males were dominated year around. Fiddler crabs showed seasonal growth pattern during a year, which the maximum growth was observed during autumn and early summer and ceased during winter by low temperature. Growth parameters were estimated by Appeldoorn's method and fitted with seasonalized von Bertalanffy growth models. The Kimura likelihood ratio test revealed significant differences in the overall growth curves between males and females, originated from the differences in k$k$ and L_∞$L_{\mathrm{\infty }}$ between sexes. Males were found to exhibit higher growth rate and larger size than females, this could be attributed to the higher investment of energy for reproduction in females. Reproduction was restricted to spring and early summer, while recruitment occurs at the end of summer. Total annual production of males and females was 37.90 and 10.05 g dry weight/10 m² respectively and major production took place during early summer. Because of impact of temperature on the activity of fiddler crabs in subtropical regions, density of crabs has significant positive correlation with temperature (P < 0.01), while growth rate shows significant negative correlation with organic matter of sediment (P < 0.05). In conclusion these crabs showed lower mortality and production rate with the seasonal growth and recruitment in comparison with tropical species.     

Fecundity and spawning of the Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, in Pleasant Bay, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

This study provided the first comprehensive analysis of Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) fecundity. Limulus appear to be a determinate spawner, maturing all eggs for the breeding season before spawning begins. On average, larger females held a larger number of eggs (63,500) than smaller females (14,500). By the end of the breeding season there was an average of 11,600 mature eggs per female left undeposited, regardless of female size. Larger females laid a higher percentage of the eggs they contained. Thus they not only contain more eggs, but are more effective at laying them as well. Size of spawning females ranged from about 185–300 mm prosomal width, with by far the highest concentration in the mid‐size ranges. Although on an individual basis large females carry and lay the greatest number of eggs, mid‐size crabs as a group contributed more to the horseshoe crab population in Pleasant Bay because they were more plentiful (net fecundity was highest for mid‐size crabs). These results have implications for the management of this important species, which is harvested for bait, scientific, and biomedical uses. Incorporation of these results into models and other management tools can help predict growth rates, effects of size‐selective harvest, reproductive value, and stable stage distribution of populations.     

Population biology of the fiddler crab Uca annulipes (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) in a tropical East African mangrove (Mozambique)

The community structure of the tropical fiddler crab Uca annulipes (H. Milne Edwards) has been studied in Mozambique for the first time. Ten 0.25 m² squares were randomly sampled on a monthly basis during low tide periods from January to December 2002 at Costa do Sol Mangrove, Maputo Bay, southern Mozambique. A total of 981 crabs were captured, of which 494 were males (50.36%), 231 non-ovigerous females (23.85%) and 253 ovigerous females (25.79%). The overall size frequency distribution was unimodal, with males being larger than both ovigerous and non-ovigerous females. Females were more abundant in the smallest size classes while males outnumbered females in the largest ones. The overall sex ratio (1:0.99) did not differ from the expected 1:1 proportion, but significant deviations were observed in January, April, August and November. Results indicate that the size frequency distributions of this species can also be determined through direct analysis of burrow openings. Breeding took place year-round with two peaks of spawning in summer (January and December). Recruits were present throughout the year, with high abundance in summer probably due to the high reproductive activity observed in this season. The present results may allow us to suggest that U. annulipes follows a rapid breeding cycle accompanied by a rapid larval development and settlement in the study area.     

Abundance,breeding and growth of the ocypodid crab Dotilla myctiroides (Milne-Edwards) on a West Malaysian beach

The ocypodid crab, Dotilla myctiroides, was studied on the south-west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The mean numbers and biomass over a year along a transect from high to low water ranged from 37·5 to 579 crabs m^?2 and from 2·22 to 50·79 g m^?2 (wet weight) respectively. Berried females were found in all months of the year but two peaks of activity were apparent, from November to February and May to July. It is suggested that this may be related to changes in food abundance associated with the effects of monsoon winds on sea currents. Laboratory growth studies indicated that maximum life span was approximately 13 months (from first crab stage) for males and 10 months for females. Growth rate decreased with increasing size of crab. Egg number increased with size of female.     

The interactive roles of predation and tidal elevation in structuring populations of the edible cockle,Cerastoderma edule

The size and age structure of the Cerastoderma edule population at Traeth Melynog, North Wales, varies dramatically with tidal level. In areas low on the shore up to 96% of cockle spat fail to survive their first summer, but mortality rate subsequently declines and remains at a low level. By contrast cockles high on the shore suffer moderate mortality during their first year (47%), but increasing rates thereafter. High-shore populations consequently consist mainly of smaller (younger) individuals and low-shore ones of a transient spatfall, plus a few larger and older individuals. The potential role of shore crabs, Carcinus maenas, and oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus in the determination of these patterns is assessed. Shore crabs move up into the intertidal to feed with each flood tide from about April to December. They selectively consume cockles < 15 mm in length, taking an estimated 236 × 10³ cockles, or 2432 g dry flesh year⁻¹ per linear meter of shoreline, mostly from lower shore levels. Oystercatchers are present only during winter and preferentially select large cockles of at least 20 mm length. They are estimated to remove 9 × 10³ cockles, or 1204 g dry flesh year⁻¹ per linear meter of shoreline, most of this from mid- and high-shore levels. These results indicate that shore crabs are far more important predators than previously suspected, taking 25 × the numbers and 2 × the biomass cosumed by oystercatchers. Predation also appears to be the key factor controlling the structure of the C. edule population. Crabs consume almost all the cockles settling low on the shore during their first summer, but avoid older individuals, which subsequently survive and grow well under low levels of oystercatcher predation. On the high shore, crabs are unimportant and the cockles survive well as they slowly grow into the size range attractive to oystercatchers. Thereafter they suffer increasingly severe winter mortality and are soon eliminated.     

Population succession and feeding of scyphomedusae, Aurelia aurita, in a eutrophic tropical lagoon in Taiwan

Seasonal dynamics and feeding of scyphomedusae, Aurelia aurita, were investigated monthly from 1999 to 2002 in relation to environmental conditions in Tapong Bay, a eutrophic tropical lagoon in southwestern Taiwan. Medusae appeared throughout the year but exhibited seasonal dynamics that were correlated with hydrographic features in the bay. Most ephyrae of A. aurita occurred mainly in the lower flushed and eutrophic inner bay, and during the cold, dry season between November and February. They grew to young medusae with a maximum abundance in spring (March–May), but their numbers abruptly decreased during the warm and rainy summer season in June–September. The remaining medusae then grew rapidly to a maximal size of 29 cm. Mature females spawned in the following autumn when precipitation decreased but zooplankton food was still abundant. These mature individuals decreased in size after spawning and in winter. Gut content analysis revealed that A. aurita fed mainly on copepods and copepod nauplii and less on bivalve larvae and fish eggs. Prey selectivity indices indicated that larger medusae selected positively for copepods while small size medusae preferred copepod nauplii. The overall feeding effect of A. aurita on the standing stock of zooplankton was significant (27%) in the bay. Our results suggest that tidal flow and dense oyster culture pens were the two most important factors influencing the spatial distribution pattern of A. aurita in the bay, while precipitation affected the population abundance seasonally; decreasing water temperature coincided with the mass release of ephyra in late autumn and winter.     

Biology of the redspotted tonguesole Cynoglossus zanzibarensis (Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae) on the Agulhas Bank,South Africa

The biology of the redspotted tonguesole Cynoglossus zanzibarensis, a common African cynoglossid inhabiting the Agulhas Bank, South Africa, is described. Growth studies based on sectioned sagittal otoliths revealed that C. zanzibarensis is relatively fast-growing and long-lived, attaining ages >8 years. Growth in length was rapid in immature fish, fish attaining 56% of their maximum size within their first year. By sexual maturity, fish had attained 28% of their maximum age and 68% of their maximum length. Total length-at-age was best described by the Von Bertalanffy growth model with combined-sex growth described as L_t = 354.78(1?e^{?0.43 (t+1.17)}) mm TL. Sexually dimorphic growth patterns were evident, females attaining larger lengths, but at a slower growth rate than males. Despite the similar mean size of adult fish, the trawl-sampled adult population was dominated by females, with a sex ratio of 1 male:2.4 females. Female C. zanzibarensis mature in their second year of life (275 mm TL), after which they spawn small, pelagic eggs throughout the year. Approximations of the rates of total, natural and fishing mortality were estimated to be 0.62, 0.48 and 0.14 year^?1 respectively.     

Fine-scale vertical distribution of coastal and offshore copepods in the Golfo de Arauco, central Chile, during the upwelling season

In order to understand the mechanism by which zooplankters from different origins co-occur during the upwelling season within Golfo de Arauco, one of the most productive areas in central Chile, we assessed short term variations in the vertical distribution of the most abundant copepod species. Fine-scale, day and night vertical zooplankton sampling was done with a pump over 12 days in summer. The water column in the gulf consisted of three layers: Equatorial Subsurface Water of low dissolved oxygen content in the deeper part of the water column, strong temperature and oxygen gradients at mid-depth (15-25 m), and a layer of warmer, more oxygenated, less saline water at the surface. Copepods within the gulf originated from offshore, from the continental shelf, and from the coastal area. Most taxa showed distinctive vertical distributions. Three copepod groups were identified by their mean weighted depths of residence. One group included shallow residents found above the thermocline/oxycline (Acartia tonsa, Centropages brachiatus, Corycaeus sp., Paracalanus parvus, Oncaea sp.). A second group was comprised by species distributed at or below the thermocline/oxycline (Oithona sp., Oncaea conifera, Lucicutia sp., Metridia sp., Heterorhabdus papilliger). The third group was composed of vertical migrators that crossed the thermocline/oxycline (Calanus chilensis, Calanoides patagoniensis, Aetideus armatus, Pleuromamma piseki). In spite of their different vertical distribution ranges, the most abundant and frequent copepod species (P. parvus, C. chilensis, C. patagoniensis, C. brachiatus) share a common capacity to withstand wide ranges of oxygen concentration and temperature. This characteristic, along with the capacity to vary their life strategies under different environmental conditions, seems to facilitate the maintenance of large numbers of copepods in coastal waters along the Humboldt Current.     

Species composition,abundance and biomass of microphytoplankton in the KwaZulu-Natal Bight on the east coast of South Africa

Nearshore marine environments are influenced by an array of variables that can either be land-derived or of marine origin, and nearshore phytoplankton communities may differ in their taxonomic composition and biomass in response to such variables. The KwaZulu-Natal Bight (hereafter referred to as ‘the bight’) is an oligo-mesotrophic, nearshore oceanic environment, that is influenced by both terrestrial run-off and upwelling. A microphytoplankton survey of the bight conducted over several stations and depths and two seasons was conducted in order to ascertain species composition, abundance and biomass. Microphytoplankton abundance was generally low (a maximum of 180 000 cells l–1 was recorded) but differed considerably between sites and seasons. A total of 99 taxa of mainly Bacillariophyceae and some Dinophyceae, Prymnesiophyceae and Cyanophyceae were identified in the present study. In the central bight, higher abundance and biomass were measured in February (wet season), which may be a possible consequence of terrestrial nutrient inputs. In the northern and southern bight we measured higher abundance and biomass in August (dry season). Upwelling was not detected during the study, but an influence of terrestrial nutrient sources was detected at the coastal stations. Turbid conditions were specific to the site near the Thukela River mouth and possibly influenced abundance, biomass and species composition at this site. Historic data on microphytoplankton composition are scarce, but comparisons with surveys from the 1960s reveal that around 60% of the common diatoms recorded then also occurred in the present study. Small taxa [20–200 µm] dominated the microphytoplankton community. Community composition was fairly uniform throughout the bight in both seasons, dominated in general by Chaetoceros species, and on occasion co-dominated by Thalassionema nitzschioides and Dactyliosolen fragilissimus.     

Reassessing the invasion of South African waters by the European shore-crab Carcinus maenas

The European shore-crab Carcinus maenas has been present in South Africa since 1983. Despite this species’ international reputation as a biological invader, its distribution in this region has only been considered by three outdated ‘snapshot surveys.’ The present study is the most comprehensive to date, providing an update on the species’ range and the first temporal assessment of its abundance and demographics. Along South Africa's Cape Peninsula and surrounding areas, C. maenas was absent from 12 intertidal sites surveyed, except for Sea Point, and no crabs were found during subtidal surveys along the open coastline. Subtidal harbour populations were recorded in the Cape Town harbours of Table Bay and Hout Bay (previously estimated as comprising approximately 164 200 and 6 500 individuals, respectively). Table Bay was surveyed monthly for one year, using baited traps, crab condos and postlarvae settlement collectors, to assess size distributions and reproductive seasonality of the crab. Reproductive females were recorded throughout most of the year. These results suggest that the harbour populations could be targeted by control programmes, but provide no strong evidence to support the initiation of management action during a particular season. The lack of detection of postlarval settlement, even among well-established populations, suggests this will not be a useful monitoring tool for detecting incursions.     

Mnemiopsis leidyi (Ctenophora) in Narragansett Bay, 1975–1979: Abundance,size composition and estimation of grazing

Surveys of the distribution, abundance and size of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi were carried out in Narragansett Bay, R.I. over a 5-year period, 1975–1979. Yearly variations were observed in time of initiation of the ctenophore increase and maximum abundance. Biomass maxima ranged from 0·2 to 3 g dry weight m^?3 at Station 2 in lower Narragansett Bay while maximum abundance varied from 20 to 100 animals m^?3. Ctenophores less than 1 cm in length generally composed up to 50% of the biomass and 95% of the numerical abundance during the peak of the M. leidyi pulse. During the 1978 maxima and the declining stages of the pulse each year, 100% of the population was composed of small animals. M. leidyi populations increased earlier, reached greater maximum abundances, and were more highly dominated by small animals in the upper bay than toward the mouth of the bay. The averageclearance rate of M. leidyi larvae feeding on A. tonsa at 22°C was 0·36 l mg^?1 dry weight day^?1, with apparent selection for nauplii relative to copepodites. Predation and excretion rates applied to ctenophore biomass estimated for Narragansett Bay indicated that M. leidyi excretion is minor but predation removed a bay-wide mean of 20% of the zooplankton standing stock daily during August of 1975 and 1976. Variation in M. leidyi predation at Station 2 was inversely related to mean zooplankton biomass during August and September, which increased 4-fold during the 5-year period.     

Extreme significant wave height climate in the Gulf of Guinea

This article investigates spatio-temporal trends for different return periods of extreme significant wave height (SWH) in the Gulf of Guinea (GG), northeastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, based on a 37-year (1980–2016) wave hindcast. High-resolution reanalysis windfield datasets were used to force the spectral wave model WAVEWATCH III. The wave hindcast information was validated using data gathered from the US National Data Buoy Center. The model performance was adequate. In a spatial analysis, the trends were less than 0.3 m decade^?1 in all parts of the GG, and were increasingly positive westwards, extending to the far western part of the GG; trends below 0.01 m decade^?1 dominated in the eastern part and some areas of the northern part of the gulf. Temporal analysis showed that the trends were negative in all cases. Spatio-temporal trends in the return periods for the 99th-percentile wave height were generally weak. Also, trends in the yearly, seasonal and monthly means of extreme SWH all generally increased from east to west in the GG. Furthermore, temporal trend analysis showed that extreme SWH exhibited an increasing trend of 0.0041 m y^–1 throughout the 37-year period; by season, it exhibited a declining trend of ?0.0005 m y^–1 in winter, and an increasing trend of 0.0048 m y^?1 in summer. The observed increasing positive trend of extreme SWH westward in the GG, however, suggests an increasing storminess towards the western part of the gulf, with potential implications for coastal flooding and erosion, and consequences for coastal structures.     

Spatial and seasonal variations of fish assemblages in mangrove creek systems in Zanzibar (Tanzania)

Spatial and seasonal variations of fish assemblage composition were studied in three non-estuarine mangrove creeks of Zanzibar (Tanzania). Fish were collected monthly for one year at three sites (lower, intermediate and upper reaches) in each creek using a seine net (each haul covering 170 m²). Density, species number and diversity of fish were all higher at sites with dense cover of macrophytes (seagrass and macroalgae) than over unvegetated sandy sites. In general, fish assemblages mainly comprised juveniles of a few abundant taxa, e.g. Mugil cephalus, Mugilidae spp. and Leiognathus equulus at sites with mud substratum and Gerres oyena, Lethrinus harak and Sillago sihama at sites dominated by macrophytes. Multivariate analyses revealed significant separations in fish assemblage composition within the two creeks where the bottom substratum differed among sites. Overall, season seemed to have little effect on density, species number, diversity index (H′) and assemblage structure of fish. Water condition variables were also relatively stable across the season, although a short-term fluctuation primarily induced by decreased salinity, occurred during the heavy rains in April and May. Fish assemblage structure was not significantly affected by any of the abiotic factors tested. However, significant regressions were found between the other fish variables and environmental variables, but since these associations were mostly species-specific and generally inconsistent, we suggest that the overall distribution patterns of fish were mainly an effect of particular substrate preferences of fish species rather than contemporary water conditions.     

西北冰洋陆坡区极北哲水蚤种群快速补充研究

在北冰洋的高纬度海区,陆坡—海盆之间的交换对极北哲水蚤（Calanus hyperboreus）的种群补充具有非常重要的意义。为了研究极北哲水蚤在西北冰洋种群补充的地理差异,我们利用2003年夏季所采集的样品,分析了该物种的丰度、种群结构和体长分布。从总丰度的地理分布来看,极北哲水蚤主要分布在楚科奇海与楚科奇深海平原之间的陆坡区（CS-slope）,而在水深较浅的楚科奇海并没有记录。在CS-slope区域,极北哲水蚤的总丰度在1 110.0—5 815.0个/m³之间,而其他海区的总丰度在40.0—950.0个/m³之间。从不同的发育期分布上来看,早期幼体（CI-CIV）在CS-slope区域占优势,而CV期幼体和成体在深水海盆区占优势。从体长的地理分布上来看,差异最为明显的是CⅢ期幼体,其在CS-slope区域的前体长在2.48—2.61 mm之间,而在其他海区的前体长在2.16—2.37 mm之间。与环境因子相关性的分析结果显示,早期幼体（CI-CIV）的丰度与叶绿素a的浓度呈正相关关系,而CV期幼体和成体却与叶绿素a的浓度呈负相关关系。我们的结果表明,极北哲水蚤可以通过加快第一个生长季节的发育速度而受益于初级生产力的增加,并且高生产力的CS-slope区域是陆坡-海盆之间种群补充的潜在来源。     

Life strategies of Halobatrachus didactylus (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) in the Tagus estuary: Comparison among different morphotypes

The Lusitanian toadfish, Halobatrachus didactylus (Bloch and Schneider, 1801), is a subtropical sound-producing marine teleost that inhabits estuaries and other brackish water ecosystems in its northern distribution area. The relative isolation of populations within estuaries may cause important modifications in the bio-ecology of this species. The males of this species present two morphotypes which are more accurately distinguishable during the reproductive season. In the Tagus estuary population, the two types of reproductive males were present: type I, the “characteristic” morphotype, and type II, the alternative morphotype. The opportunistic males had more developed testis while type I males had more developed accessory glands. Type I males presented more developed swimbladders and larger body size and live longer than type II males. On the contrary, type II males grew faster and matured earlier. The feeding habits of the two male morphotypes were similar during the reproductive season but differences were found between reproductive specimens and non-reproductive specimens. The diet of reproductive specimens was mainly composed of benthic prey in contrast to predominance of nectobenthic prey in the diet of non-reproductive specimens. The females of H. didactylus generally had an intermediate pattern between the two male morphotypes. The percentage of type II males tended to be higher in denser areas of the estuary. In comparison with populations from different size ecosystems, smaller ecosystems revealed important modifications on the bio-ecology of the species due to the increased competition for nesting sites and mating partners, favouring alternative male tactics.     

Annual variability of planktonic ostracods (Crustacea) in the South Adriatic Sea

Temporal variability and population structure of planktonic ostracods were investigated for the first time in the South Adriatic Sea during 1996. The maximal total ostracod abundance (1167 ind·100 m⁻³; 69% juveniles, 18% females and 13% males) was recorded in February. Thirteen species of marine planktonic ostracods were identified. Porroecia spinirostris and Archiconchoecia striata dominated the ostracod assemblage, accounting respectively for 62% and 18% of the total abundance. Their annual peaks were recorded during the cold season, which was the period of their intense reproduction, with favourable temperature conditions and lack of predators. The females surpassed the males in abundance in most species. The presence of the mesopelagic species indicated a strong influence of intermediate layer water masses from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.     

Diversity and abundance of mangrove fiddle crabs, genus Uca (Decapoda, Ocypodidae) at a mangrove in Kema, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Mangrove ecosystems are sites with high biodiversity of benthic fauna, and fiddler crabs (genus Uca) are common benthic fauna in mangroves. The North Sulawesi in Indonesia has a good condition of mangrove while the information of the fiddler crabs is still limited. Manual samplings were conducted in wet, dry and transient seasons at a mangrove in Kema, North Sulawesi to investigate the species composition, density and distribution pattern of fiddler crabs. A total of 168 individuals, subjected to eight species of genus Uca crabs were collected at the mangrove, with U. triangularis having the highest abundance and U. annulipes having the lowest abundance. The densities of fiddle crabs were 27.56 ind./m², 32.89 ind./m² and 14.22 ind./m² at the seaward, middle and landward zones, respectively, and the density was higher in dry and wet seasons than in transient season.     

Effects of vegetation and sewage load on mangrove crab condition using experimental mesocosms

Constructed wetlands, especially mangroves, have been studied for their usefulness in sewage treatment but the effects of mangrove vegetation and a sewage load on mangrove macrofauna have been given little attention. Ocypodid crabs are important components of mangrove forests and constitute good bioindicators of the functioning of the ecosystem as a whole. In constructed mangrove mesocosms, three vegetation treatments (bare substratum, and Avicennia marina and Rhizophora mucronata seedlings) were subjected to 0, 20, 60 and 100% sewage loads from a nearby hotel. The physiological condition of introduced Uca annulipes and Uca inversa was evaluated in terms of their RNA/DNA ratio after one, five and twelve months, and used as an indicator of ecological function in the system. Crab condition in 0% sewage load was similar to that of wild crabs throughout, suggesting no significant effects of the mesocosms on their RNA/DNA ratio. Overall, both species coped well with the administered sewage loads, suggesting good ecological function in the system. Both species manifested similar patterns in RNA/DNA ratio, being more affected by seasonal fluctuations than by sewage load and vegetation presence and type. Higher RNA/DNA ratios were recorded in the long compared to the short rainy season. Sewage enhanced crab condition in the bare substratum and R. mucronata treatments, especially after one year, probably as a result of enhanced food availability. Uca inversa may be more sensitive to sewage pollution than U. annulipes. In A. marina, no difference in crab condition was observed between sewage loads, and this mangrove yielded the best reduction in sewage impacts. Our results support the usefulness of constructed mangrove areas in sewage treatment, especially if planted with A. marina and inhabited by physiologically healthy ocypodid crabs to enhance the system's performance.