BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SPINY LOBSTERS (PANULIRUS SPP) FROMTHE COMMERCIAL CATCH IN PUERTO-MORELOS, QUINTANA-ROO, MEXICO

The spiny lobster catch from Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, on the Mexi can Caribbean coast, was analyzed in terms of species and sex composit ion, size distribution and reproductive condition of females, during t he July 1992 to February 1993 fishing season. A total of 3,549 lobster rails were sampled; 93.9% belonged to Panulirus argus, 5.96% to P. gu ttatus, and 0.14% to P. laevicauda. The abdominal length (AL) of all t he specimens was measured. The AL data of P. argus and P. guttatus was transformed to carapace length (CL) by means of regression equations obtained from whole animals. The sex ratio of P. argus was close to th e unity. In both sexes. tile total sample: showed a mode in 140-150 mi n AL. The monthly mean size was smaller during the first four months o f lilt: fishing season than during the rest of the months. These diffe rences seem related to changes ii? the fishing localities, on a south to north gradient, throughout the fishing season. However, a possible influence of the lobster winter mass migration in areas north of Puert o Morelos is not excluded. Ovigerous females were recorded every month , with the highest percentage (22.6) in February. and a lesser peak in August and September. The smallest ovigerous female measured 130 mm A L (67.8 mm CL), but most of the ovigerous females were found from 160- 170 mm AL (90-95 mm CL). The sex ratio of P. guttatus was biased towar ds males (1.7:1). The mean size was 128 mm AL (71.3 min CL). Ovigerous females of this species also occurred every month. Results form this study art: compared to those recorded by several authors in other loca lities.