Great unexpected differences between two populations of the intertidal crab Neohelice granulata inhabiting close but contrasting habitats (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)

Spivak, Eduardo D.; Bas, Claudia Cristina; Luppi, Tomás Atilio

doi:10.1590/s1984-4689zool-20160020

Cited by 9 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(22 reference statements)

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“…On the other hand, RSJ is a small population, probably subsidiary to SAO, and genetically identical to it (see Spivak et al, 2016). Our results are consistent with those from the laboratory, with crabs from MC having a digestive gland weight to body weight ratio lower than that of SAO crabs at any of the experimental sites.…”

Section: Experimental Sitesupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Based on the organic matter content of soil and previous studies on the size structure of the SAO population, we were expecting crabs to grow less at that site. At the same time, we expected the highest growth rate at RSJ, since the recorded size of adults and the reproductive effort of females at that site are the highest reported for the species (Spivak et al, ), and the organic matter content estimated in this study is even higher than previously reported: two and three times higher than that in MC and SAO, respectively. Nevertheless, the growth of crabs at RSJ was similar to that at SAO.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

“…Three populations of N. granulata have been previously compared and differences among them attributed to distinct food quality (Bas et al, ; Bas, Luppi, & Spivak, ; Spivak, Bas, & Luppi, ). One of these populations is in a northern estuarine site, Mar Chiquita lagoon (MC).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inter‐population differences in feeding ecology under nitrogen‐limited diets: Field growth and the role of cannibalism in limiting/improving reserve accumulation

et al. 2019

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Growth is determined by an organism's physiology, physical environment, and biological conditions, including food availability and any intra‐ and inter‐specific interactions that can affect feeding activity. To analyse how all these factors interact to produce final growth in the herbivorous/detritivorous crab Neohelice granulata, we performed field and laboratory experiments with juveniles and adults from three populations which differed genetically as well as in their physical environment and the organic matter (OM) content in the soil that serves as food. We evaluated (a) growth in the field: Juveniles of the three populations were cross‐transplanted in exclusion cages; (b) effect of the presence of adults on juvenile feeding: We measured the feeding activity of small juveniles in presence/absence of an adult male as potential predator in the field; and (c) effect of diet on cannibalism: We analysed the cannibalistic behavior of adult males from two of the populations in the laboratory after they had received protein‐rich (24%) and protein‐poor (3%) diets. In experiment (a), final size was similar for the crabs from all three origins but growth differed between sites. Experiment (b) showed that the presence of adults interfered with feeding activity at the two sites with lower weight indicators. In experiment (c), we observed that low protein diet increased the cannibalistic behavior of adult males, and this effect was more intense in crabs from the poorest food site. Our results contribute to understanding the set of factors and interactions involved in the response of individuals to the prevailing conditions in natural environments in order to maintain a growth rate, perhaps at the expense of different reserve accumulation. They also enable discussion of the limitations of approaches used in laboratory experiments.

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Section: Experimental Sitesupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 62%

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Inter‐population differences in feeding ecology under nitrogen‐limited diets: Field growth and the role of cannibalism in limiting/improving reserve accumulation

et al. 2019

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“…Crabs occupy the upper-and mid-intertidal zone. Burrows are deep with maximum depth 70 cm, and include a mating chamber to protect the pair during mating [32,33].…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Burrows also provide an area for sexual encounters and a safe place where females breed their embryos [31,32]. N. granulata build burrows differentially depending on the environmental characteristics: while in some populations males build burrows with a mating chamber to protect the pair during mating [32,33], in others, they build burrows with a widened entrance but without a mating chamber [31]. Burrows with a mating chamber facilitate pre and post-copulatory behaviours, that in turn allow greater sperm transfer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neohelice granulata burrow fidelity behaviour related to landscape heterogeneity

et al. 2018

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Neohelice granulata provides an interesting animal model for studying behavioural process because it is widely distributed, ensuring variability related to different environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to analyse variation in site fidelity with relation to landscape heterogeneity. Field observations were carried out in three geographically distant marshes in Argentina (Mar Chiquita, San Antonio Oeste, and Riacho San José), which differ in their environmental characteristics and where crabs display different reproductive strategies. We analysed potential variation in burrow fidelity with relation to body size, sex and presence of vegetation (mudflat and saltmarsh) at all study sites. In addition, we analysed the influence of tidal flooding on fidelity in the Mar Chiquita saltmarsh. To achieve these goals, we used a mark-recapture method in which we tagged approximately 100 crabs during midsummer for each zone at each site (a total of 668 crabs) for geographical comparison and approximately 370 crabs to evaluate the influence of tidal flooding. We found more faithful individuals in Mar Chiquita than in San Antonio Oeste and Riacho San José. For the San Antonio Oeste and Riacho San José populations and for Mar Chiquita previous to flooding samples we also found differences in site fidelity related to crab body size. At San Antonio Oeste and Riacho San José the relationship between size and proportion of faithful crabs was negative (smaller crabs were more faithful than larger crabs). In Mar Chiquita, a higher proportion of fidelity previous to flooding and a size-dependent response to flooding were detected, suggesting that fidelity may be modulated by tides having different effects on crabs with different body sizes. Equal proportions of males and females displaying site fidelity were observed at all study zones and sites. Our study suggests that N. granulata burrow fidelity behaviour changes with latitude and landscape (mudflat or saltmarsh) and can be sensitive to variables such as body size and frequency of flooding.

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Depositional environments and its evolution during the last marine highstand along the La Plata estuary using Neohelice granulata (Decapoda: Brachyura: Varunidae) as a tool

Pereyra

Verde

2020

Journal of South American Earth Sciences

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Great unexpected differences between two populations of the intertidal crab Neohelice granulata inhabiting close but contrasting habitats (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura)

Cited by 9 publications

References 10 publications

Inter‐population differences in feeding ecology under nitrogen‐limited diets: Field growth and the role of cannibalism in limiting/improving reserve accumulation

Inter‐population differences in feeding ecology under nitrogen‐limited diets: Field growth and the role of cannibalism in limiting/improving reserve accumulation

Neohelice granulata burrow fidelity behaviour related to landscape heterogeneity

Depositional environments and its evolution during the last marine highstand along the La Plata estuary using Neohelice granulata (Decapoda: Brachyura: Varunidae) as a tool

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