Abstract

A 15 month life history analysis was conducted from October 2006 to December 2007 on Procambarus spiculifer in southern Georgia, USA. Cephalothorax length (CL) ranged from 6.07 – 59.80 mm and weights from 0.02 – 53.37 g. Mean adult sizes were form I males 45.90 mm, form II males 42.77 mm, and females 38.43 mm. Form I males and mature females were collected year round. Relationships of CL to body weights, ovarian eggs, and abdominal eggs were examined. Peak juvenile introductions into the population occurred in June, late fall, and early winter. Life span could reach two to three years with maturity occurring at 12 – 15 months. Mean ovarian egg count was 602 eggs and mean abdominal laboratory egg count was 464 eggs. Mean abdominal egg diameter was 1.74 mm with a range of 1.04 – 2.03 mm. Females could reproduce more than once during their life-time with new ova developing immediately after egg laying. In this study, the right vas deferens was the only functional one in P. spiculifer. Gonadal somatic indices were determined for mature females, immature females, form I males, and form II males. Gut content analysis revealed mainly vegetal matter, suggesting that the diet of this species may be primarily derived from plant material.

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