Reproductive behavior of intertidal hermit crabs (Decapoda, Anomura) in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The reproductive behavior of four intertidal hermit crab species [Clibanarius antillensis Stimpson, 1859, C. sclopetarius (Herbst, 1796), C. vittatus (Bosc, 1802), and Pagurus criniticornis (Dana, 1852)] was studied in São Sebastião Channel, southeastern Brazil. The overall behavior followed previous descriptions for Diogenid and Pagurid hermit crabs but some particular differences were recorded. Male to male agonistic encounters over females and guarding behavior were more common to C. sclopetarius, C. vittatus, and Pagurus criniticornis. During guarding, males clearly grasped females' chelipeds, eyestalks, and the margins of their shell apertures. This oblique guarding and, simultaneously, accessing behavior (OGAP) has never been described for hermit crabs and was more common to C. sclopetarius and C. vittatus. Pagurus criniticornis did not present the typical jerking behavior of pagurids. Multiple copulations between a single pair were recorded in all species while in only one occasion a female of C. vittatus was observed copulating with two males. In the post-copulatory behavior males held females for some time and, after that, they were left inactive and sometimes totally to partially buried in the substrate. In mating pairs of all species males were larger than females and two individuals (out of 23) of C. antillensis, one (out of 5) of C. sclopetarius and one (out of 3) of C. vittatus, which courted successfully as males fertilizing females' eggs, were demonstrated to be intersex, with both male and female gonopores.

Reproductive system of the male hermit crab ­Clibanarius sclopetarius: gonopore, spermatophore, and spermatozoal morphologies

“…Despite the presence of female and male gonopores in intersex individuals of Clibanarius sclopetarius, the morphology of the reproductive apparatus and the spermatophores allows us to 277 Aquat Biol 12: 271-280, 2011 conclude that these individuals, in the present morphotype, are functional males. This observation is corroborated by their reproductive behavior -including successful fertilization -which, according to Turra (2005), is compatible with that of normal males. An analogous condition was proposed for intersex individuals of the diogenid Isocheles sawayai by Fantucci et al (2008).…”

“…obs.). Some aspects of its biology are known from studies on larval (BrossiGarcia 1987a) and juvenile morphology (Brossi-Garcia 1987b), growth and population biology (Turra & Leite 2000), fecundity (Turra & Leite 2001), selection of shells (Turra 2003), intersexuality (Turra 2004), interspecific competition (Turra & Denadai 2004), and reproductive behavior (Turra 2005).…”

Characterization of the occupied shells by the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Decapoda, Diogenidae) at Baixio Mirim tideflat, Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil

“…In spite of the wide distribution, the ecological aspects of this species were only reported in the USA in North and South Carolina, Florida and Gulf of Mexico, and in Brazil these aspects are restricted to the São Paulo State coast (Turra 2003, 2005, Turra and Leite 2001, 2002, Sant'Anna et al 2006a. The present study is the first research about the relationships of the hermit crab C. vittatus and its occupied shell from the Guaratuba Bay, Paraná State, southern Brazil.…”

“…When this availability is restricted in the habitat, hermit crabs are compelled to occupy shells that are not always appropriate in size, form or integrity, and this restriction affects reproduction (Childress 1972, Bertness 1981, Hazlett 1989, Bertini and Fransozo 2000, Hazlett et al 2005, Turra 2005, growth (Markham 1968, Bertness 1981, Osorno et al 1998, Bertini and Fransozo 2000 and body morphology (Turra and Leite 2002).…”

Shell use by the hermit crab <i>Calcinus californiensis</i> at different levels of the intertidal zone

“…Its advantage could be that males tend to be more active than females because of their active searching for females and the manipulations during copulation (Turra, 2005). It is important to carry a light shell for manoeuvrability and the lower energetic cost of locomotion (Herreid and Full, 1986;Osorno et al, 1998).…”