Studies on portunid crabs from the Eastern Pacific. II. Significance of the unusual distribution of Euphylax dovii |
| |
| Authors: | E A Norse V Fox-Norse |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA;(2) Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA;(3) Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, USA;(4) Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Iowa, 52242 Iowa City, Iowa, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | Euphylax dovii Stimpson (Brachyura: Portunidae: Podophthalminae), a tropical Eastern Pacific swimming crab, has distinctive morphological adaptations for pelagic existence. Crabs in collections from the open ocean had a sex ratio approximating 1:1, with no crabs bearing eggs. Samples from the continental shelf of Colombia contained thousands of females, mostly ovigerous, but no males. Egg attachment has posed a major problem in the evolution of decapod crustaceans, and the two genera of portunid crabs thus far observed cannot attach eggs unless females can bury partly in soft sediments. This suggests that mated E. dovii females must migrate into shallow shelf waters to encounter sediments necessary for spawning. The high energetic cost of swimming while carrying eggs and the presence of abundant food for larvae are factors favoring residence of females in shelf waters until hatching is complete. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
