A review of ecological and evolutionary studies on hermaphroditic decapod crustaceans

Abstract

Sequential hermaphroditism (sex change) has been reported in many decapod crustaceans, but it has not been fully reviewed to date. In this review, I have integrated and sorted descriptions regarding hermaphroditic decapod crustaceans. Eighty-five species have been recognized as hermaphrodites and 57 of those species are protandrous (male first) hermaphrodites including protandrous sex changer and protandrous-simultaneous hermaphrodite. The sexual maturation pattern of the remaining 28 species is still unclear, although simultaneous hermaphroditism has generally been speculated from sexual characteristics in their morphology or reproductive organs. Moreover, I have summarized the emerging knowledge of the adaptive significance of their sex change. After briefly reviewing theoretical works, I draw attention to recent empirical works exploring the proximal factors causing life history variation. I discuss life history variation within a population and among populations is caused by growth rate variation, mating system and diet.

Testing the abundant‐centre hypothesis using intertidal porcelain crabs along the Chilean coast: linking abundance and life‐history variation

“…squat lobsters, king crabs and hermit crabs, Baeza et al. , 2001; Chiba, 2007), and consequently other mechanisms must be responsible for the observed pattern. According to theoretical models, if the survival of both sexes is affected differentially along an environmental gradient, then the sex ratios in the population should depart from the expected 1:1 ratio and vary in a predictable way along the gradient (Charnov et al.…”

Insights on the biology and ecology of the deep-water shrimp Parapontophilus occidentalis (Faxon, 1893) (Crustacea: Caridea: Crangonidae) in the eastern Pacific with notes on its morphology

“…Seasonal changes in sex ratio may happen, as observed with Crangon septemspinosa Say, 1818 (Locke et al 2005), but additional periodical sampling over a longer period of time is needed to confirm this. Many species of Crangonidae are sequential protandrous hermaphrodites (e.g., Boddeke et al 1991;Chiba 2007), which evidently affects the sex ratio at specific size classes. Protandric hermaphroditism also favors larger sizes of females in front of males, as observed in many crangonids (e.g,.…”

“…comm., February 2015). When protandrous hermaphroditism is not taking place, larger female size is attributable to genetic causes (Sainte-Marie et al 2006;Chiba 2007). In many shallow-water crangonids those act through both faster female growth and longer female lifespan (e.g., Labat 1984;Bluhm & Brey 2001;Sainte-Marie et al 2006), which could explain both the sex ratio and the sexual size differences observed.…”

Social Behaviour and Recognition in Decapod Shrimps, with Emphasis on the Caridea

“…Protandrous sequential hermaphroditism has been found in a number of caridean species (Bauer 2000;Chiba 2007), e.g. Rhynchocinetes uritai (Bauer and Thiel 2011).…”