EGG-PRODUCTION IN BETAEUS-EMARGINATUS (EDWARDS,H.,MILNE 1837) (DECAPODA, ALPHEIDAE) - FECUNDITY, REPRODUCTIVE OUTPUT AND CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF EGGS

The major variables concerning clutch size, reproductive output and ch emical composition of developing eggs were analyzed in the snapping sh rimp Betaeus emarginatus from central-southern Chile. Betaeus emargina tus produced numerous ((x) over bar = 285) and relatively large eggs ( (x) over bar = 0.209 mm(3) recently-produced embryos), which more than double (116.2%) in volume during embryogenesis. Egg loss was fairly l ow (11.6%). Water constituted the predominant component of the eggs an d increased gradually from 56.5% to 76.1%. Brood masses comprised an a verage of 8.5% of the female body dry weight, and the reproductive out put (RO) was 0.09 (based on dry weight). Due to the apparent lack of i nformation regarding the reproductive biology of snapping shrimps from temperate waters, we compare our data with those of other Alpheidae f rom tropical and subtropical zones. Our results corroborate the tenden cy of decreasing RO with increasing latitude.