Molting and growth of the Japanese crayfish Cambaroides japonicus reared in the laboratory

Abstract

Molting and growth of the Japanese freshwater crayfish Cambaroides japonicus (de Haan, 1841) was examined in laboratory reared specimens. The relationships between pre- and postmolt carapace lengths and between premolt carapace length and growth factor are described and expressed by single line regression equations for both sexes. The number of ecdyses per molting season decreases with increasing body size.