ALLOMETRIC GROWTH IN APPENDAGE OF FRESHWATER CRAB BARYTELPHUSA GURINI (H. MILNE EDWAEDS, 1853), (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, BRACHYURA)

Abstract Allometric growth in Barytelphusa guerini has been analyzed by power function equation y=a.xb, where y is the reference dimension, ‘b’ is the regression coefficient and ‘a’, is the y-intercept. The allometric and isometric growth pattern was shown in thoracic and abdominal appendages; particularly in male and female with specificity with sex. Positive allometric growth was seen in carapace width, abdomen width chelate leg and in male and female crab. Negative allometric growth observed in abdomen width in male and gonopod length in both male and female. Growth is accelerated in maturation period. All regression equations are significant from 0.82 to 0.99 percent of correlation. There are few organs; chelae and abdomen which are found to show striking and consistent pattern of variation in the level of allometry