Captive spawning, hatching and larval development of crucifix crab, Charybdis feriatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Charybdis feriatus (Linnaeus, 1758), commonly known as crucifix crab, forms one of the important commercial crabs in India. Considering its increasing demand and scope for aquaculture, attempts were made to study its breeding and larval stages in captivity. Spawning took place invariably during night hours and the duration of incubation varied between 9 and 11 days. Healthy larvae were produced in all the spawnings and the number of zoea larvae released varied between 40,000 and 14,00,000/ hatching. The larva passes through six zoeal stages and a megalopa stage before it metamorphoses into first crab instar. The average period of zoeal phase ranged between 19 and 26 days