COMPARISON OF THE ALLOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BLUE SWIMMER CRAB (Portunus pelagicus) POPULATIONS

FROM TAYABAS BAY AND MANILA BAY

Thesis Proposal

Razeille Anne T. LalicanMarenielle L. Manipol

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(This page is optional)

Title Page …………………………………………………………..…………. i

Table of Contents ……………………………………………….…………….. ii

Introduction ……………………………………………………….…….. 1

Review of Related Literature ………………………..…………….……… 4

Materials and Methods ……………………………………………..………. 10

Presentation of Results ……………………………………………..….……. 13

Literature Cited …………………………………………………….….…….. 17

Appendix ……………………………………………………………………… 20

Line Item Budget ………………………………………………….….………. 21

Project Timeline ………………………………………………….….………. 22

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, supports one of the largest crab species in the

world and forms the basis of important commercial and recreational fisheries. It is a common

profitable resource of local markets in the Philippines. Manila Bay and Tayabas Bay, the selected

sites for the study, have high population of Portunus pelagicus. Manila Bay, located near urbanized

and industrialized areas, has evident traces of human misuse and mistreatment. Accumulation of

wastes can be seen in the shorelines of the site. Tayabas Bay, located in Barangay Catmon, San Juan,

Batangas, has relatively unpolluted waters. A considerable number of life forms in both bays

indicates that these bodies of water can sustain life.

Environmental water quality is one of the extrinsic factors influencing the size and form of

organisms like P. pelagicus. The field concerned with studying the variation and change in the form

(size and shape) of organisms is morphometrics. The study in close association with this is allometry

- study of the change in proportion of various parts of an organism as a consequence of growth. It is

used to analyze the morphological characteristics of organisms. This analysis has been used in

several studies to compare intraspecific variations among populations from different locations and to

estimate mid-length sexual maturity, observing variations according to environmental conditions.

Several morphometric and allometric studies were done on different animal species,

particularly crab species (Harryman, 2003; Chang and Hsu, 2004; Bertini et al., 2005; Narvarte et al ,

2007). However, no reported studies about growth metrics were conducted in Manila Bay and

Tayabas Bay. Given this situation, this proposed research endeavors to investigate the crab species

from Manila Bay and Tayabas bay.

Statement of the Problem

Will the populations of Portunus pelagicus from two differently stressed habitats feature

the same growth metrics?

Research Objectives (General and specific objectives should be stated.)

The general objective of the proposed research is to discern if there is a difference in the

allometric traits of the crab population from Tayabas Bay, area relatively remote to

commercialized centers, and Manila Bay, area located near urbanized and industrialized areas. The

specific objectives are to estimate the relative growth of the crabs based on specific measurable

traits namely body weight, carapace width, carapace length, mean cheliped length and width of

male and female P. pelagicus populations from the two sites; to test if sex or stage of growth

(juvenile or adult) of the study organisms have an effect on the growth of populations and; to

find out if differences in the water quality of the two habitats have an effect on the growth of the

two populations.

Significance of the Study

The observable increase in population, urbanization, and industrialization reduces the

quality of Philippine waters. Organisms are directly affected by these environmental

disturbances. The blue swimmer crab, being one of the sources of food and livelihood of

fishermen, is immediately disturbed. Its growth and other morphological features are influenced.

Factors that are responsible for these variations can be attributed to the environmental water

conditions, habitat, adaptation and other related ecological features. For this reason, research on

the allometric growth of crabs could provide useful predictors of environmental quality. It is also

important to compare the allometries of the two populations from separate habitats to provide

information or basis of improving environmental management since this will influence

productivity. This research could also support the natural resource management and several

fishing industries by providing relevant information about the relative growth of the crabs in the

two habitats. Marketability of this species could also be monitored.

Scope and Limitation

Only specific morphometric variables are to be measured limited to body weight,

carapace width, carapace length, right and left cheliped length and width of the study organisms.

The basis of estimate will be the hard external structures of the organism. Only morphometric

characters will be studied and biochemical and physiological features will not be included in the

research.

Owing to logistic and time constraints, sampling of study specimens and water from the

two study sites are to be conducted within a three-month period. Water quality will be based on

physical measurements specifically temperature, pH, turbidity, salinity, conductivity and

dissolved oxygen (DO). Chemical analyses of the water samples will not be conducted.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, also known as alimasag in the Philippines,

is a true crab. It is an arthropod that belongs to Subphylum Crustacea, Class Malacostraca, Order

Decapoda, Family Portunidae. Species that belong to Portunidae are identified as the swimming

crabs, a family of the Brachyura having the last pereiopods modified as swimming paddles.

Blue swimmer crabs are opportunistic, bottom-feeding carnivores and scavengers. They

are most active in foraging and feeding at sunset. They have a wide-ranging foraging strategy.

Their diet chiefly consists of a variety of sessile and slow-moving invertebrates, including

bivalve molluscs, crustaceans, polychaete worms and brittle stars. Diet is largely dependent upon

local availability of prey species, the main foods for intertidal stages being small hermit crabs

and gastropods, while subtidal P. pelagicus feed mainly on bivalves and ophiuroids.

Kangas (2000) cited the study of Williams in 1982 wherein he found out that diet

composition changed little with size of crab although within broad taxonomic groups, prey

species change with size of crab. Edgar (1990) observed the size-related changes in the diets of

crabs. These changes were influenced by the different habitats of small and larger crabs.

Seagrasses and algae may be eaten occasionally.

A research conducted by Lestang and colleagues (1999) reveals that the species feeds

before or right after molting. Cardiac stomachs of the crabs that have just recently molted

contained more food than those of the intermolt ones. Calcareous materials contribute about 47

to 55% of the stomach content. The volumetric contributions by small bivalves decrease with

body size. On the other hand, when it comes to the shell fragments of large decapods and

polychaetes, it was the opposite. They have concluded that the dietary composition of P.

pelagicus was influenced more by molt stage (i.e. recently molted vs. intermolt), than by body

size.

Blue swimmer crabs can be found mainly from the eastern Mediterranean to east Africa

in the Indian ocean, and to Japan and Tahiti in the Western and South Pacific ocean (Shields and

Wood, 1993; Svane and Hooper, 2004). They are active swimmers. However, during inactivity,

they bury in the sediment with only eyes, antennae and gill chamber openings uncovered.

The differences in the distribution of P. pelagicus in different habitats according to size

could be related to their swimming ability, as large individuals can tolerate strong waves in

deeper waters. Another possible explanation could be related to breeding migration, whereby

ovigerous females migrate to a more oceanic environment in the deep waters. (Chande and

Mgaya, 2003)

Both temperature and salinity are important factors influencing the distribution, activity

and movement of the blue swimmer crab. Blue swimmer crabs are adapted to life in warmer

waters. Svane and Hooper noted that P. pelagicus occurs in a wide range of algal and seagrass

habitats and on both sandy and muddy substrata. The juvenile ones can be found in mangrove

creeks and mud flats for eight to twelve months. Here, they attain a size of 80 to 100 mm

carapace width.

Movement of crabs may take place in winter from shallower (cooler) waters to deeper

waters. P. pelagicus regulates in water hyposaline to sea water and conforms in hypersaline

water. It can withstand a wide range of salinities (11-53‰) for extended periods (Meagher

1971). Salinity is important in determining whether crabs remain in nurseries over winter (Potter

and de Lestang, 2000).

Essentially, P. pelagicus is not strictly marine because it commonly enters estuaries for

food and shelter. Furthermore, its life cycle is dependent on the conditions of the estuaries since

the larvae and early juveniles use these habitats to sustain their growth and development. Rapid

growth occurs in the estuaries and protected bays over summer. Juveniles and adults emigrate

out into the ocean during winter to avoid the freshwater flow and many then migrate back into

the estuaries before the summer. (Kangas, 2000)

The blue swimmer crab has five pairs of legs. The first pair is the chelae or claws, the

following three pairs are walking legs while the last pair of legs are modified as swimming

paddles. The carapace is rough in texture, broad and has a prominent projection or spine on each

side. The males are bright blue in color with white spots characteristically long chelipeds.

Females have a duller green or brown color, with a more rounded carapace (Svane and Hooper,

2004). Past studies about crabs reveals that males of P. patagonicus were larger than females,

and had larger chelae (Narvarte et al, 2003). The major cheliped plays an important role in

agonistic behavior and in courtship. This develops until the animal becomes sexually mature

(Costa et al., 2003).

The growth of organisms is very important in tracing their ecology and life history. Their

size and form are influenced by several factors like feeding habits, habitat and other ecological

features. Fitness of organisms is affected as a result of evolutionary processes (Costa et al.,

2003). In crustaceans such as crabs, growth has been quantified with several measurements in

body size and weight. Morphometric relationships could vary among locations, between sexes,

degree of sexual maturity, molt stage and carapace form (Narvarte et al, 2007). Lestang and

coworkers (1999) reported that the range in age and carapace width of Portunus pelagicus is

from 2 months and 12 mm to 18 months and 159 mm.

Allometry is described as the study of differential growth variables. These variables may

be morphological (e.g. length), physiological (e.g. oxygen consumption) or even chemical (e.g.

lipid weight). Allometric growth occurs when some part of an animal’s body grows at a different

rate in relation to a reference dimension, generating changes in body proportions. Differential

growth changes are associated with maturity. Decapods display maturity though molting. Abrupt

changes may happen, marking crucial ontogenetic stages, such as prepuberal or puberal molting

(Hartnoll 1978, 1982). Energy requirement and energy available to them also change.

Allometry is utilized to compare the varying sizes by diminishing the constant relative

growth rates to a power function. The relationship of Y to X is allometric when Y = bXa; where

a is the rate of change of Y with respect to X, and b is the intercept, or size of Y when X = 1

(Huxley, 1924). Such relative growth rates can be shown on double-logarithmic plots as straight

lines. Changes in rates are revealed by inflections or discontinuities. This was observed in Maiid

crabs during their change from young to adult stage (Aldrich, 1974).

Allometric analysis is a powerful tool for both taxonomists and ecologists interested in

intra and interspecific morphological variation. This analysis has been used in several studies to

compare intraspecific variations among populations from different locations and to estimate mid-

length sexual maturity, observing variations according to environmental conditions.

Crustaceans are particularly suited to studies on relative growth due to their hard

exoskeleton that facilitates precise body measuring. Moreover, their type of growth allows

unequivocal division of their ontogeny into distinct phases, and exhibits great differences

between the growth rates of males and females, and of juveniles and adults (Hartnoll 1978). For

brachyuran crustaceans, changes are conspicuous in the male cheliped, female abdomen, and

pleopods of both sexes during the transition from the juvenile to the adult stage (Castiglioni and

Negreiros-Fransozo 2004). Individuals are sexed according to the presence of the major cheliped

or the morphology of the abdomen.

There are two main types of sex characters – primary sexual characters which are directly

associated with reproduction and secondary characters. In crabs, apart from the shape of the

abdomen, secondary sex differentiating characters have not been reported. The occurrence of

sexual differentiation in characters such as body weight and chelae diameter may help to curb

aggression in females. This may also protect males during periods of courtship and reproduction

since crabs are known to be cannibalistic in habit. Furthermore, their monogamous life style may

be an adaptation to prevent excessive predation on weaker members of the community. (Akin-

Oriolal et al., 2005)

Eight morphometrical characters are possible to measure in swimming crabs: (1)

carapace width, CW; (2) carapace length, CL; (3) distance between two sides of the first spines,

CWIS; (4) fifth abdominal segment width, FAB; (5) fifth abdominal segment length, FABL; (6)

chela length, ChL; (7) chela width, ChW, and; (8) movable dactylus, ChP (from Chang and Hsu,

2004). In simpler measurements, carapace width and length, cheliped propodus length and

height, abdomen width in females and gonopod length in males could be taken into account

(Bertini etal., 2005). Carapace width is the main dimension used as an independent variable in

relative growth analysis of crabs because it represents well the physiological changes that occur

over their life history (Castiglioni and Negreiros-Fransozo 2004).

The most common method for determining the size at which male crabs attain maturity is

to estimate the size at which the pattern of growth of one of its appendages changes from that

which characterizes juvenile crabs to that which characterizes adult crabs (Lestang, 2000).

Lestang and contemporaries (2003) mentioned the aquaria studies of Meagher (1971) wherein

the male crabs of this species reach maturity at essentially the same carapace width (CW) based

on the morphometric and gonadal data. Linear regression was used to relate the length of one of

the appendages to the carapace width in either juvenile or adult crabs. The use of allometry

however, was not able to give certainty to whether a male crab is mature or not since the overall

relationship between cheliped length and carapace width of P. pelagicus did not undergo a

marked shift at around the attainment of maturity. There were generalizations made that the CW

of decapods is inversely proportional with that of temperature. This statement was countered

however, because the opposite was observed and recorded. In those cases, CW has been

attributed to variation among populations of density, predation pressure, and food availability.

In a related research carried out by Shields and Woods on 1993, the juvenile and adult

males can be distinguished by their gonopods. The adults’ are the one most developed.

Moreover, chelipeds of adult males are heterochelous. They were able to conclude that allometry

exists between juvenile and adult females. They were also able to predict the approximate size

matured ones will have. They were able to found out that females mature in larger sizes than

males. CW-MER relationship as well as a semi-quantitative gonad index can be used to find out

the maturity of the crabs. Two indices were used in females: the color and relative development

of the ovary in the hemocoel; and the fullness of the seminal receptacles. On the other hand, only

one index was used in males - the relative development of the testes. Likewise, ovigerousity was

also used to indicate maturity (Shields and Woods, 1993). To end, this proposed research intends

to compare the allometric relationships of the blue swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus)

population from two different habitats.

PROPOSED MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area and Specimen Collection

Crab specimens will be collected from two sites, Tayabas Bay in San Juan, Batangas and

from Manila Bay in the vicinity of Parañaque. The crab samples will be purchased monthly by

fishermen within a three-month period. Samples will be placed in a clean cooler box once

collected. They will be refrigerated to prevent deterioration of tissues. The number of total crab

specimens collected will be recorded. The weather conditions of the site during the sampling

period will be also recorded.

Measurement of Water Quality Parameters

Water samples will be gathered from the two sites within a three-month period. Five

parameters of testing water quality namely temperature, pH, turbidity, salinity and conductivity

will be measured using the HORIBA U-10 Water Quality. The probe of the tester will be washed

first with distilled water several times. It will be subsequently placed in the bucket filled with

water sample. Calibration will be done before and after each measurement. Measurements of the

parameters will be taken once in each point of the sampling location recording every reading in

the field notebook. Subsequent testing will be conducted at Societe Generale de Surveillance

(SGS) Philippines for determination of dissolved oxygen (DO) based on Standard Methods for

the Examination of Water and Wastewater (APHA, 2005).

Measurement of Crab Specimens

The crab specimens will be sorted by sex and size. Ovigerous females will be rejected.

Each body weight of crab will be measured using a triple beam balance. Each crab together with

a ruler will be photographed using digital cameras. Samples with parasites will be noted.

The photographs will be organized and categorized into the month of collection and sex.

The carapace width, carapace length and cheliped length (right and left) of the crab specimens

will be measured using ImageJ photogrammetry software. This software will be utilized to take

direct measurements in digital images with greater precision.

Data Analysis

For each sex, growth ratios for the independent variable (carapace weight) and the other

variables (dependent) will be determined by using the logarithmic transformation:

log Y = log a + b log X

and the function:

Y = aXb

where x is the independent variable (CW), Y is the dependent variable, “a” is the value of Y

when X = 0, and “b” the slope of the regression line (Hartnoll, 1978, 1982; Lovett and Felder,

1989). The "b" value represents the relative growth constant (b = 1 means isometric growth; b >

1 means positive allometric growth; and b < 1 means negative allometric growth). The statistical

significance of "b" will be tested by Student’s t-test, adopting a significance level of 5%

(Negreiros-Fransozo et al 2003, Benetti and Negreiros-Fransozo 2004, Castiglioni and

Negreiros-Fransozo 2004, Cardozo and Negreiros- Fransozo 2004), and noting the confidence

interval of the regression line (Costa et al, 2008).

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be utilized to find out the effect of factors (sex, age,

habitat) on the different morphologic parameters of the study specimens. In addition, t-tests will

be conducted to analyze water quality differences in the two sites.

LITERATURE CITED

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Aldrich, J. C. 1974. Allometric studies on energy relationships in the spider crab Libinia Emarginata. Boston University Marine Program, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. (http://www.panamjas.org/pdf_artigos/PANAMJAS_4(1)_87-95.pdf)

Akin-Oriolal, G., Anetekhai1, M., Olowonirejuaro, K. 2005. Morphometric and meristic studies in two crabs: Cardiosoma armatum and Callinectes pallidus. Turkish J. Fish. Aquatic Sci. 12:45-67.

Bardach, J.E., Ryther, J.H. and McLarney, W.O. 1972. Aquaculture: The farming and husbandry of freshwater and marine organisms. John Wiley and Sons Inc. New York.

Benetti, A. S. and Negreiros-Fransozo, M. L. 2004. Relative growth of Uca burgersi (Crustacea, Ocypodidae) from two mangroves in the southeastern Brazilian coast. Iheringia 94: 67-72.

Bertini, G. Lys, T and G West.. 2005. Relative growth and sexual maturity of the stone crab Menippe nodifrons Stimpsons, 1859 (Brachyura, Xanthoidea) in Southeastern Brazil. Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociencias, Universidade Estadual Paulista. (http:// www.scielo.br/pdf/babt/v50n2/11.pdf)

Cardoso, F. C. R. and Negreiros-Fransozo, M. L. 2004. A comparison of the allometric growth in Uca leptodactyla (Crustacea: Brachyura: Ocypodidae) from two subtropical estuaries. J. Mar. Biol. 84: 733-735.

Castiglioni, D. da S. and Negreiros-Fransozo, M. L. 2004a. Comparative analysis of the relative growth of Uca rapax (Smith) (Crustacea, Ocypodidae) from two mangroves in São Paulo, Brazil. Revista Bras. de Zool. 21: 137-144.

Chande, A.I., Mgaya, Y.D. 2003. The fishery of Portunus pelagicus and species diversity of portunid crabs along the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Western Indian Ocean J. Mar. Sci. 2: 75–84.

Chang, H.C. and Hsu C.C. 2004. Statistical Comparisons of Some External Morphometrical Aspects of the Swimming Crab Protunus sanguinolentus (Herbst) Populations Inhabiting the Keelung Shelf and Taiwan Bank. Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University. Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Costa, T. and Soares-Gomes, A. 2008. Relative growth of the fiddler crab Uca rapax (Smith) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae) in a tropical lagoon (Itaipu), Southeast Brazil. Pan-Amer. J. Aquatic Sci. 3: 94-100.

Factoran, F. 1990. Revised Water Usage and Classification/ Water Quality Criteria Amending Secyion Nos. 68 and 69, Chapter III of the 1978 NPCC Rules and Regulations. Administrative Order No. 34. Manila, Philippines.

Harryman, A. 2003. A Morphometric Analysis of the Endemic Crab Platytelphusa armasa, from Lake Tanganyika, with Reference to P. tuberculata. University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Hartnoll, R. G. 1969. Mating in the Brachyura. Crustaceana 16:161-181.

Hartnoll, R. G. 1978. The determination of relative growth in crustacea. Crustaceana, 34: 281-293.

Hartnoll, R. G. 1982. The biology of Crustacea: embryology, morphology and ecology. New York Academic Press, New York.

Hines. A. H. 1982. Allometric constraints and variables of reproductive effort in Brachyuran Crabs. Mar. Biol. 69:309-320.

Kangas, M.I. 2000. Synopsis of the biology and exploitation of the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus Linnaeus, in Western Australia. Fisheries Research Report. Fisheries Research Division, WA Marine Research Laboratories, Western Australia. (http:// www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/frr/frr121/frr121.pdf)

Lestang, S., Hall, N. G., Potter, I. C. 2003. Reproductive biology of the blue swimmer crab (Portunus pelagicus, Decapoda: Portunidae) in five bodies of water on the west coast of Australia. Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research Division of Science and Engineering Murdoch University. Western Australia.

Lestang, S., Platell, M.E. and Potter, I.C. 2000. Dietary composition of the blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus. Does it vary with body size and shell state and between estuaries? School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Division of Science and Engineering, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia.

Lovett, D. L. and Felder, D. L. 1989. Application of regression techniques to studies of relative growth in crustaceans. J. Crustacean Biol. 9: 529-539.

Narvarte, M., Gonzalez, R., Guagliardo, S., Tanzola, D. and Storero, L. 2007. First studies on morphometric relationships and size at maturity of the red crab Platyxanthus patagonicus (Milne-Edwards) and variations caused by Rhizocephalan infestation in the San Matias Gulf, Patagonia, Argentina. J. Shellfish Res. 10:114-120.

Negreiros-Fransozo, M. L., Colpo, K. D. and Costa, T. M. 2003. Allometric growth in the fiddler crab Uca thayeri (Brachyuyra, Ocypodidae) from a subtropical mangrove. Crustaceana. 23: 273-279.

Oesterling, M. J. 1990. Shellfish – Crustaceans. In: Martin, R. E. and Flick, G. J. (Eds) The Seafood Industry. Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishing. New York.

Razek, A. et al. 2006. Population biology of the edible crab Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus) from Bardawil lagoon, Northern Sinai, Egypt. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt. Egypt. J. Aquatic Res. 32: 401-418.

Sampedro, M. P., E. Gonzalez Gurriaran and J. Freire. 2003. Moult cycle and growth of Maja squinado (Decapoda: Majidae) in coastal habitats of Galicia, north-west Spain. J. Mar. Biol. 83:995-1005.

Shields, J.D., Wood F.E. 1993. Impact of Parasites on the Reproduction and Fecundity of the Blue Sand Crab Portunus pelagicus from Moreton Bay, Australia. Marine Ecol. Prog. Ser. 22:90-110.

Smith, R.L. 2003. Elements of Ecology. Fifth edition. Benjamin Cummings. New York.

Somerton, D. A. 1981. Regional variation in the size of maturity of two species of tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi and C. opilio) in the eastern Bering Sea, and its use in defining management subareas. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 38:163-174.

Svane, I. and Hooper, G.E. 2004. Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus pelagicus) Fishery. Fishery Assessment Report to PIRSA for the Blue Crab Fishery Management Committee. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences) Adelaide.

Wild Fisheries Research Program. 2008. Blue Swimmer Crab (Portunus pelagicus). New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. State of New South Wales.

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS

Table 1. Mean Values of Selected Water Quality Parameters obtained in Tayabas Bay, Batangas

Parameter Mean ± SD

Temperature

pH

Turbidity

Salinity

Conductivity

Dissolved Oxygen

Table 2. Mean Values of Selected Water Quality Parameters obtained in Manila Bay, Parañaque

Parameter Mean ± SD

Temperature

pH

Turbidity

Salinity

Conductivity

Dissolved Oxygen

Table 3. Morphometric features of Portunus pelagicus specimens from Tayabas Bay (TB) and Manila Bay (MB)

VariablePortunus pelagicus

Male Juveniles Male Adults Female Juveniles Female Adults

TB MB TB MB TB MB TB MB

Body weight (mean±SD) (g)

Carapace width (mean±SD) (cm)

Carapace length(mean±SD) (cm)

Cheliped length(mean±SD) (cm)

Cheliped width(mean±SD) (cm)

Table 4. Regression levels and allometry of P. pelagicus specimens obtained in Tayabas Bay, Batangas

Variables Categories N r R2 a b (I. C. 95%)

t (b=1) ALL

CW x CL

JM

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

AM

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

JF

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

AF

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

**Statistics on the relationship between the independent variable carapace width (CW) and the dependent variables (CL) carapace length, (ChL) cheliped length, (ChW) cheliped width, (BW) body weight, (JM) juvenile males, (AM) adult males, (JF) juvenile females, (AF) adult females, (n) size sample, (r) correlation coefficient, (R2) determination coefficient, (a) intersection, (b) declivity, (*) significant (H0: b =1; Student’s t-test, α = 5%), (ns) non-significant, (+) positive allometry, (0) isometry, (-) negative allometry.

Table 5. Regression levels and allometry of P. pelagicus specimens obtained in Manila Bay, Parañaque

Variables Categories N r R2 a b (I. C. 95%)

t (b=1) ALL

CW x CL

JM

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

AM

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

JF

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

CW x CL

AF

CW x ChL

CW x ChW

CW x BW

**Statistics on the relationship between the independent variable carapace width (CW) and the dependent variables (CL) carapace length, (ChL) cheliped length, (ChW) cheliped width, (BW) body weight, (JM) juvenile males, (AM) adult males, (JF) juvenile females, (AF) adult females, (n) size sample, (r) correlation coefficient, (R2) determination coefficient, (a) intersection, (b) declivity, (*) significant (H0: b =1; Student’s t-test, α = 5%), (ns) non-significant, (+) positive allometry, (0) isometry, (-) negative allometry.

(Note that titles of tables are single-spaced and only the first letter is capitalized.)FIGURES

Figure 1. Map of sampling sites from (a) Tayabas Bay. Batangas, and from (b) Manila Bay, Paranaque.

Figure 2. Graphic representations of the relationship between carapace length and carapace width in male crab population (from Costa and Soares-Gomes, 2008)

(Captions of figures are also single-spaced and only the first letter is capitalized.)

LINE ITEM BUDGET

Specimens …………………………………………………………. P 3,500.00

Transportation …………………………………………………. P 10,000.00

Laboratory Tests (for Dissolved Oxygen) ………………….…….... P 2,240.00

Printing ………………………………..…………..…….…...…. P 700.00

Software ………………………………………..………….…..… P 200.00

Miscellaneous ………………………………..…………...…… P 1,500.00

TOTAL …………………………………………………….…… P 18, 140.00

PROJECT TIMELINE

Activities1st

month2nd

month3rd

month4th

month5th

month6th

month7th

month8th

month9th

month10th

month11th

month12th

month13th

month14th

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monthApproval and inspection of sites for data collectionAcquisition of HORIBA water quality tester Acquisition of materials needed for gathering of dataGathering of crab species from the two sites Weighing and Photo DocumentationGathering of water samples in the two sitesMeasurement of water quality parametersPreparation for oral presentation of proposalSystematization of data collectedMeasurement using SCION/PictzarStatistical analysis via SPSSData tabulation and graphical presentationDrawing conclusionsReport Writing and First DraftSecond DraftFinal Paper and Submission of ManuscriptDefense

Timeline or schedule of activities should be presented in Gantt chart form.