Resource utilization for decorating in three intertidal majid crabs (Brachyura: Majidae) |
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Authors: | M Sato K Wada |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Nara Women's University, Kitauoya-nishimachi, Nara 630-8506, Japan Fax: +81-739-424518 e-mail: msato@seto.kyoto-u.ac.jp, JP |
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Abstract: | For three spider crabs (Tiarinia cornigera, Micippaplatipes and Pugettia quadridens quadridens), patterns of algal utilization for decorating were compared with the dynamics of algae on an intertidal rocky shore reef
where the crabs co-occurred. T. cornigera and P. quadridens quadridens were most abundant from autumn to spring when the dominant algae (Boodleacoacta, Sargassum hemiphyllum, S. thunbergii and Corallina pilulifera) occurred in high coverage, while M. platipes was most abundant from spring to autumn. Monthly change of algae used for decorating was not correlated with algae growing
in the crab habitat for T. cornigera, but for M. platipes, it was positively correlated for two algal species, and for P. quadridens quadridens, negatively correlated for one algal species. Each species of the spider crabs used some algal species preferentially for
decoration. Decorating preference experiments conducted in the laboratory showed that M. platipes and P. quadridens quadridens exhibited similar preference to their algal utilization in the field, whereas for T. cornigera, algal preference in the experiment differed from utilization in the field. Comparisons between materials used for decoration
and gut contents revealed that T. cornigera and M. platipes used algal species differently for decorating and feeding, while P. quadridens quadridens used the same algal species for both decorating and feeding. Different tactics for camouflage are discussed in terms of algal
utilizations by the three majid species.
Received: 25 September 1999 / Accepted: 22 June 2000 |
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