First data on population structure and growth parameters of Ocypode cursor (Linnaeus, 1758) along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coast

The tufted ghost crab, Ocypode cursor, is a rapidly expanding Atlantic-Mediterranean species whose historic range included the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the western coast of Africa. In recent years, the Mediterranean subpopulation underwent a rapid spread westward. However, most of the published studies focused on the ecology of the species, and no data are available on its life history. The aim of the current work is to provide preliminary data on biological and population parameters such as growth, size distribution and sex ratio from Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean specimens of O. cursor. Results showed some similarities (e.g. cohorts structure, size, sex ratio) between Mediterranean and Atlantic specimens from Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire). In contrast, Atlantic specimens from the two other Côte d’Ivoire locations, Grand Jack and Port-Bouët, showed different parameters than those of the nearby Bassam (and Mediterranean) specimens. The possible reasons for these differences are discussed, together with their ecological significance.