Abstract The goal of this study was to estimate the biometric relationships and sex ratio for the red-spotted shrimp Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis (Latreille, 1817) from the coast of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. A total of 132 specimens of F. brasiliensis were collected and analyzed (65 females and 67 males) from May 2015 to May 2016. The overall sex ratio did not differ significantly from 1:1. Female size ranged from 20.73-46.43 mm of carapace length (CL), whereas male size ranged from 20.75-32.47 mm CL. Females were larger (34.78±6.05 mm CL, 152.61±19.68 mm of total length (TL)) and heavier (27.45±11.12 g of wet weight (WW)) than males (27.07±2.56 mm CL, 123.77±11.37 mm TL and 14.48±3.98 g WW). All biometric relationships were different between females and males. Both TL vs CL and WW vs TL relationships indicated positive allometric growth. Data shown here correspond to an adult population exploited by local shrimp fleets and are an important contribution to the biological knowledge of this species, especially in northeastern Brazil, where there is no information available.

Abstract The objective of this study was to describe the morphology and morphometry of saggitta otoliths of Polydactylus virginicus, Menticirrhus cuiaranensis and Conodon nobilis in a tropical environment. Fishes were caught with rod and reel in competitive fishing events promoted in 2014-2015 along the coast of Sergipe. A total of 174 pairs of sagitta otoliths of P. virginicus, 181 of M. cuiaranensis and 77 of C. nobilis was extracted. In general, the sagitta otoliths of all three species analyzed here presented different morphology and shape indices. The permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) demonstrated significant differences among species and ontogenetic phases within each species using morphometry and shape indices. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) presented a 98.3% correct reclassification of the otoliths by species.

ABSTRACT Shrimp trawling is an important socioeconomic activity but catches a large number of non-target species, including Hepatus pudibundus. This study aimed at assessing the population structure of H. pudibundus, analyzing its sex ratio, length distribution, size at first morphological maturity and biometric relationships, and identifying latitudinal patterns. Four samples of 6 kg (shrimps plus by-catch) were monthly collected in March/2015-May/2016 in Pirambu, Sergipe. Carapace width (CW) and length (LC), and total weight (TW, g) were measured. Sex and stage of morphological maturity were defined. A total of 240 individuals wes collected from all samples and the sex ratio did not differ from 1:1. This was observed in low latitudes, but females dominated in higher latitudes. The carapace width was 20.8-60.1 mm for females and 19.1-60.8 mm CW for males. Larger sizes were observed in higher latitudes. The estimated carapace width-length relationships for females and males were not significantly different (CL=0.6764+0.7390∙CW; sex grouped). The estimated weight-length relationship was TW=0.0004∙CW2.8568 for females and TW=0.0001∙CW3.1225 for males. When compared with previous studies carried out throughout the Brazilian coast, slope values (b) for weight-length relationships were higher for males. The length at first morphological maturity for females and males was 28.9 and 29.6 mm, respectively, the lowest ever recorded for this species, reflecting the occurrence of smaller sizes in lower latitudes. These results are the first obtained for northeastern Brazil.

Abstract Shrimps are the main fishery resource in marine waters off Sergipe (northeastern Brazil), where they are landed in three categories: ‘espigão’, ‘escolha’ and ‘pistola’. The objective of this study was to identify which species are landed in each category, relating to the perception of stakeholders, and to analyze their effect on the interpretation of historical catch statistics. Samples of 3kg were collected monthly for each category before landing in Aracaju (May/2015-May/2016) to identify the shrimp species caught. All specimens were identified, measured (carapace length - mm) and weighed (total weight - g), and had their sex determined. We interviewed attendees of two meetings promoted by the Programa de Monitoramento Participativo do Desembarque Pesqueiro in Aracaju and Pirambu, the two main ports where shrimp catches are landed in Sergipe, and asked for their perception of shrimp species included in each category. Finally, we used all shrimp catch data available for Sergipe in a national reconstructed database to improve the reconstruction based on the species composition estimated here for the main shrimp species. The analysis of each category indicated the presence of commercially important species (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri, Penaeus subtilis, Penaeus brasiliensis, and Penaeus schmitti), and also species of no local commercial interest: Exhippolysmata oplophoroides, Nematopalaemon schmitti, Rimapenaeus constrictus, and Sicyonia dorsalis. The category ‘espigão’ was dominated by X. kroyeri (94.2%) and ‘escolha’ by P. subtilis (95.3%). ‘pistola’ was mostly P. subtilis (78.3%), almost all of them females, followed by P. schmitti (12.3%). The perception of stakeholders was correct for ‘espigão’ and ‘escolha’, but not for ‘pistola’, as 38% of the respondents classified it as ‘camarão-branco’ (P. schmitti). The mean carapace length for all species together was: 18.90mm (‘espigão’), 22.34mm (‘escolha’), and 30.96mm (‘pistola’). Decreasing catches of X. kroyeri, P. subtilis and P. schmitti in the last years raise concern.

ABSTRACT The cliff crab Plagusia depressa (Fabricius, 1775) is recorded for the first time from the state of Sergipe, northeastern Brazil. This new record fills the gap in the species distribution between Pernambuco (8°S) and Bahia (12°S).