EPIBIOSIS AND MOLTING IN 2 SPECIES OF CALLINECTES (DECAPODA, PORTUNIDAE) FROM BRAZIL

The external infestation of Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 and Calli nectes danae Smith, 1869, in particular cirripeds, was studied for two consecutive years in the Ubatuba Bay (SP) (23 degrees 26' S and 45 de grees 02' W). Bryozoans, polychaetes and cirripeds were found on both swimming crab species, but cirripeds were the most abundant and freque nt. The number of infested swimming crabs increased proportionally to carapace size, but not surpassing 30 %, suggesting an absence of termi nal anecdysis in both species. The establishment of the pernicious org anisms on their hosts is influenced by other factors, such as their ha bit of burying themselves in sediments. The correlation between moltin g activity in adult specimens of both sexes and the low incidence of e pizoonts suggest that C. ornatus and C. danae may be molting after mat urity.