Shell preference in a hermit crab: comparison between a matrix of paired comparisons and a multiple-alternative experiment |
| |
Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">Elsah?ArceEmail author Email author" target="_blank">Guillermina?AlcarazEmail author |
| |
Institution: | 1.Programa de Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,Mexico City,Mexico;2.Laboratorio de Ecofisiología, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias,Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,Mexico City,Mexico |
| |
Abstract: | The preference of the hermit crab, Calcinus
californiensis, among six species of shells, was tested by two different experiments. The first experiment used pair-wise trials, analyzing
the preference by Chi-square tests using two different constructions of the null hypothesis. One hypothesis was based on a
no-preference among shell species, the second on comparing the number of crabs changing for a particular shell species when
two options were given versus the changing when no options were offered. The second experiment was a multiple-alternative
test based on a rank ordering of the shell preference. This method has both statistical and resource-saving advantages over
the traditional pair-wise comparisons. The sequence of shell preference was similarly independent of the procedure used. The
preferred shell species are heavy and might be associated with hydrodynamic advantages and with the protection against predation.
The shell preference matches with the pattern of shell occupancy indicating that the shell use in nature is determined by
the crab’s preference. The information generated may be used for further research on shell preference as a methodological
alternative. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|