Evolutionary significance of prenuptial molting in female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagurus</Emphasis> hermit crabs |
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Authors: | Satoshi Wada Atsushi Ito Azusa Mima |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Marine Biology, Graduate School of Fisheries Science, Hokkaido University, Minato-cho, Hakodate 041-8611, Japan;(2) Algatech Kyowa, Kyowa Concrete Industry Co. Ltd., Hakodate, Japan |
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Abstract: | Molting and breeding entail major energetic costs for female crustaceans. However, females of some hermit crabs perform a
molt immediately prior to copulation (prenuptial molt). The evolutionary significance of the prenuptial molt was examined
in Pagurus hermit crabs, and two hypotheses were tested: (1) prenuptial molt might enhance the success of the present clutch by cleaning
the pleopods of females and thereby preventing eggs from being dislodged from the pleopods, and (2) prenuptial molt might
function for growth and increase future fecundity at the cost of energetic expenditure on the present brood. Although these
hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, our results rejected the former hypothesis and supported the latter hypothesis. All
four Pagurus species examined showed significant negative relationships between prenuptial molting and continuity of breeding; i.e., they
showed high molting frequency after they had a long rest period from breeding. Females of P. minutus increased their size through the prenuptial molt, and showed a decreased clutch size due to the molt. The number of dislodged
eggs increased if females molted in P. minutus. These results suggest that hermit crabs undergoing a prenuptial molt might not gain any clear immediate advantage of enhanced
survival of eggs in the present clutch, and that the prenuptial molt would mainly contribute to growth. |
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