black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Distribution, Habitat type, Critical habitats, Limiting factors. Shallow waters
along rocky coasts, living among stones and seaweeds down to 5-15 m deep. Favorite
biotope: stony bottoms. Present throughout the Mediterranean, also in the eastern
Atlantic from the southern coast of Brittany to Mauritania and the Acores. Threats:
Terrigenous pollution, hard frost, hypoxia.
Biology. A species with a high fecundity Reproduction begins in May-June. In
spring it makes migrations in the shallow waters below one meter depth. Planktonic
larvae with four metamorphosis stages from zoea to megalope. Eats molluscs and
polychaetes.
Population trends. Frequent in the past, but became very rare after the 1980s; at
present, no recent specimens on record
Threats. Eutrophication (hypoxia caused by phytoplankton blooms), pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Ukrainian Red Data Book, 1994.
Conservation measures proposed. Prohibit all catching for consumption.
References
Bacescu, M., 1954. The influence of the severe winter of 1954 on the Black Sea
ecosystem and fisheries.( in Romanian). Bull. Inst. Cercet. P.S.C. 4: 5-12.
Bacescu, M., E. Dumitrescu, A. Marcus, G. Palladian & R. Mayer, 1963. Données
quantitatives sur la faune pétricole de la Mer Noire à Agigea (secteur Roumain) dans
les conditions spéciales de l'année 1961. Trav. Mus. Hist. nat. G. Antipa 4: 131-153.
Bacescu, M., G. I. Muller & M-T Gomoiu, 1971. Ecol. mar. 4: 7-274.
Borcea, L, 1926. Note sur quelq es crabes de rivage du littoral Roumain. Ann. Sci.
Univ. Jassy 14: 140.
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