Abstract
The striped shore crab, Pachygrapsus crassipes, Hves in both protected <br /><br />embayments and exposed nearshore coastal habitats and larvae may develop in <br /><br />either setting. This study compared survivorship and development of Pachygrap- <br /><br />sus crassipes zoeae brooded in two southern California embayments and an ex- <br /><br />posed coastal habitat and cultured in corresponding waters under laboratory con- <br /><br />ditions. Larvae cultured in nearshore coastal seawater experienced higher survi- <br /><br />vorship during zoeal development, exhibited a higher percentage of stage VI zoeae <br /><br />surviving to the post-larval megalopal stage, and yielded a larger percentage of <br /><br />viable megalopae than larvae reared in seawater collected from either San Diego <br /><br />Bay or Mission Bay. This study suggests that brood site and culture water source <br /><br />will influence P. crassipes ' rate of development and survivorship.
