Relative growth and sexual maturity ofBathynectes superbus(Costa) (Decapoda: Portunidae)

Summary Morphometric and relative growth analyses of Bathynectes superbus reveal simple allometric relationships between short carapace width, the reference measurement, and other carapace dimensions. There are apparently no puberty-related changes in growth of the carapace or chelipeds of B. superbus, but a change in growth rate of abdominal segment 6 width suggests a pubertal moult in females. Plots of abdominal segment 6 width on short carapace width of females reveal an inflection at approximately 30 mm short carapace width. This is the size at which sperm is first found in the seminal receptacle of females and increased pleopod setation occurs.