REPRODUCTIVE-CYCLE AND FECUNDITY OF PRIMIPAROUS AND MULTIPAROUS FEMALE SNOW CRAB, CHIONOECETES-OPILIO, IN THE NORTHWEST GULF-OF-SAINT-LAWRENCE

A total of 1691 mature female Chionoecetes opilio was collected by bea m trawl in Bale Sainte-Marguerite on seven occasions from April 1991 t o May 1992. Quantitative analyses of ovaries, brood, eggs, and spermat hecal contents were performed on a subsample of 318 females. Females m oulted to maturity in March and April. Development of ovaries and broo d were phased and lasted 24-27 mo. Eggs hatched mainly from April to J une. Spermathecae contained zero to three ejaculates, and the mean blo tted weight of freshly deposited ejaculates was significantly greater in primiparous (0.513 g) than in multiparous (0.249 g) females. The we ight of stored ejaculates decreased over time independently of spawnin g events. Fecundity was correlated positively with carapace width and negatively with mean egg diameter. Eggs of primiparous females were on average 1.4-2.7% larger, but 16.4-22.7% fewer per brood, than those o f multiparous females. Some large multiparous females had small broods , due possibly to lesser fertility. Females probably hatch only two br oods in a lifetime and produce a total of 81630 to 83143 larvae at 57. 4 mm carapace width. Primiparous females apparently contribute >40% of larvae produced by the population.