FUNCTIONAL MORPHOMETRY OF ARISTEUS-ANTENNATUS (RISSO, 1816) (DECAPODA, ARISTEIDAE)

Growth as reflected by measurements of different body parts of the pin k shrimp, Aristeus antennatus (abdomen, scaphocerite, uropods, and seg ments on the third and fourth pereiopods) was related to carapace leng th by type-I regression analysis. There were differences in the relati ve growth of swimming appendages and pereiopods. For the former (abdom en, uropods, and scaphocerite) growth was negatively allometric at a s tatistically significant level, whereas for the;latter (pereiopod segm ents) growth either was isometric or exhibited a slightly positive all ometry. Comparison of the measurements between the sexes revealed diff erences in growth only for the uropods, with the slopes of the regress ion lines indicating higher negative allometry in females than in male s. There was no evidence of growth discontinuity for any body part ove r the life cycle of individuals of this species. The results have been compared to the findings reported by other investigators working with other species of shrimps, prawns, lobsters, and crabs, and the relati ve growth of the different body parts has been related to the differen t life strategies of each group.