Burrow characteristics and temporal variation in burrow temperature of the fiddler crab Tubuca rosea (Tweedie, 1937) (Brachyura, Ocypodidae) in southern Thailand

Abstract

This study investigates the burrow temperature of large-sized male and female Tubuca rosea (Tweedie, 1937) crabs as well as the soil temperature near their burrows during the day and night. Burrow and soil temperatures were measured using temperature sensors and burrow characteristics were recorded. Both sexes built I- and J-shaped burrows. Female burrows were longer and deeper than male burrows, since female burrows act as breeding burrows in this species. J-shaped burrows were longer and slightly deeper than I-shaped ones. During the day, the burrow temperature was lower than the soil temperature; however, during the night, the opposite result was observed. The burrow length/depth was negatively correlated with the burrow temperature during the day, but these correlations were positive during the night. This study shows that the burrow characteristics of T. rosea modulate the inside temperature of the burrows, maintaining a suitable temperature for the crabs.

Temporal variations in the air, soil, and fiddler crab (Austruca perplexa) burrow temperatures in southern Thailand

“…Moreover, though the maximum soil temperature was 39 °C, which was very high, burrow temperatures did not exceed 35 °C. A few previous studies (Powers and Cole 1976;Wolfrath 1992;Keeratipattarakarn et al 2020) also showed that crab burrows maintained a suitable temperature during extreme temperatures.…”

“…The installation depth of both sensors was at 5 cm. Previously, temperature sensors were used by Akhter et al (2018), Yue et al (2019), and Keeratipattarakarn et al (2020) to measure the soil temperature. A weather station and a temperature sensor from Davis Company (https://www.weatherlink.com) were installed to measure the air temperature (see Kuhapong and Tina 2019 for more details).…”

“…A weather station and a temperature sensor from Davis Company (https://www.weatherlink.com) were installed to measure the air temperature (see Kuhapong and Tina 2019 for more details). The air, soil and burrow temperatures were collected every 30 min for 24 hours (see Keeratipattarakarn et al 2020). The same experimental setup was used for all 42 crab burrows.…”

“…Moreover, burrows have several advantages for the fiddler crabs. They provide shelters from predators and environmental extremes (e.g., very high or low temperature), they provide water for physiological needs, and they act as sites for moulting and breeding (Crane 1975;Christy 1982Christy , 1987Keeratipattarakarn et al 2020).…”

“…In this study, we would like to investigate the temporal variations of air, soil, and burrow temperatures of the fiddler crabs (Austruca perplexa) in southern Thailand (tropical climate), where the temperature is hot all the year round (average temperature 28-30 °C). Previously, several studies have investigated the burrow temperatures of several fiddler crab species (Paraleptuca chlorophthalmus, Austruca annulipes, Gelasimus vocans, Leptuca panacea, Minuca virens, Afruca tangeri, Austruca mjoebergi, and Tubuca rosea) in East Africa, Portugal, Texas (U.S.A.), Australia and Thailand (Edney 1961;Powers and Cole 1976;Wolfrath 1992;Reaney and Backwell 2007;Keeratipattarakarn et al 2020). In the case of Thailand, only one study has been conducted on soil and burrow temperatures of T. rosea inside mangroves.…”