title: Life cycle and population dynamic of Armadillidium pelagicum Arcangeli, 1955 (Isopoda, Oniscidea) at Aouina.
abstract: Armadillidium pelagicum Arcangeli, 1955 is a terrestrial isopod endemic to the circum-Sicilian islands and the North of Tunisia. The life cycle and the population structure of this species were studied on a natural population at Aouina, in the surroundings of Tunis, over 16 months from, January 2000 to April 2001, by monthly or semi-monthly samplings. The ovigerous females were present from March/April to the end of August and absent from September to February/March. These observations indicate that A. pelagicum at Aouina has a seasonal reproduction, followed by a sexual rest. The recruitment period is spread from April/May to mid-September. The fecundity, estimated by the number of eggs in the marsupium of ovigerous females, exhibited a great variability, which is related to the weight of these females. The sex ratio underwent fluctuations throughout the sampling period. It was female-biased in most samplings. Mass frequency distribution was analysed and nine cohorts were identified during the sampling period. The field growth rates are high in the first life phase, decrease during winter and increase during spring. The characteristics of the life cycle of A. pelagicum at Aouina may be summarized as follows: (i) Semi-annual species, since females appear to produce up to five broods per year, (ii) iteroparous females, since females seem to reproduce twice or more in life; (iii) bivoltine life cycle, since the population produces two generations per year; (iv) variability of cohorts' life span.
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en biologie animale et en systématique evolutive, faculté des sciences de Tunis, campus universitaire, 2092 Manar II, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamaied
authors.forename: Faouzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Charfi-Cheikhrouha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D033321:Isopoda / Q000254:growth & development*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008297:Male; D011157:Population Dynamics; D014416:Tunisia