Notes sur la biologie de la crevette de profondeur Aristeus antillensis en Guyane française

In order to describe some aspects of the biology of the deep-water shrimp Aristeus antillensis (Crustacea, Decapoda, Aristeidae) in French Guiana (Western Central Atlantic), a total of 84 bottom trawls were carried out at bottom depths ranging from 200 to 900 m on the Guianan slope during four scientific surveys conducted from August 1990 through July 1991. A. antillensis is distributed in muddy grounds from 456 to 818 m with a peak abundance in the 500–600-m-depth stratum where mean catch rates are about 400 g·h^–1. In terms of biomass, catches obtained in day time and at night are similar. All samples observed show great predominance of females. The size frequency distribution indicates the existence of three age-classes for females, probably attributed to three annual cohorts. The results of a detailed study of morphometric relationships (length–weight relationships) are also presented.