Notes on the biology of the deep-water shrimp Aristeus antillensis in French Guiana.

In order to describe some aspects of the biology of the deep-water shrimp A risteus antillensis(Crustacea, Decapoda, Aristeidae) in French Guiana (West ern Central Atlantic), a total of 84 bottom trawls were carried out at bott om depths ranging from 200 to 900 m on the Guianan slope during four scient ific surveys conducted from August 1990 through July 1991. A. antillensis i s distributed in muddy grounds from 456 to 818 m with a peak abundance in t he 500-600-m-depth stratum where mean catch rates are about 400 g.h(-1). In terms of biomass, catches obtained in day time and at night are similar. A ll samples observed show great predominance of females. The size frequency distribution indicates the existence of three age-classes for females, prob ably attributed to three annual cohorts. The results of a detailed study of morphometric relationships (length-weight relationships) are also presente d. (C) 2001 Academie des Sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsev ier SAS.