Munida forceps A. Milne-Edwards 1880

Munida forceps A. Milne-Edwards, 1880

Munida forceps has been reported in depths of 73 to 950 m from Brazil throughout the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico to Virginia, and the Middle Atlantic Bight (Milne-Edwards 1880; Laird et al. 1976; Wenner 1982; de Melo-Filho & De Melo 2001b). The specimens that were measured were collected in every month except January (Fig. 8 G) and were collected throughout the published range in depths of 40 to 508 m. A total of 121 males was measured with CW ranging from 3.2 to 18.1 mm; males were not significantly larger than females (t-test, df = 223, t = 0.489, p = 0.625). Ovigerous females were collected in every month except January, May, September, October, and November (Fig. 8 G). Seventy-two ovigerous females (CW from 4.6 mm to 12.7 mm) and 42 non-ovigerous females (CW from 4.2 to 14.9 mm) were measured; non-ovigerous females were not different in size from ovigerous females (t-test, df = 111, t = -0.226, p = 0.822). Fecundity was related to CW (R2 = 0.495, p<0.001) (Fig. 4 D), but average egg diameter was not related to CW (R2 = 0.006, p = 0.521). Females had between 11 and 1183 eggs with the average egg diameter of each female ranging between 0.40 mm and 0.58 mm.