Population dynamics and epibiont associations of hermit crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Paguroidea on Dog Island, Florida

Sandford, Floyd

doi:10.24199/j.mmv.2003.60.6

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(27 reference statements)

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“…Some shell features, such as the presence of anemones (Brooks and Gwaltney 1993;Sandford 2003), hydroid colonies (Buckley and Ebersole 1994;Sandford 2003), holes produced by gastropods (Pechenik and Lewis 2000), and the utilization of damaged shells, may affect (enhance and/or diminish) the hermit crabs' mortality and fitness. Pagurus exilis presented a low percentage of occupation (n,50%) of shells when they were colonized by epibionts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern of shell occupation by the hermit crabPagurus exilis(Anomura, Paguridae) on the northern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

Terossi

Espósito

Meireles

et al. 2006

Journal of Natural History

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The purpose of this study was to determine the shell occupation pattern of Pagurus exilis using the percentage of shell types that were occupied and the morphometric relationship between hermits and occupied shells. Specimens were collected monthly from July 2001 to June 2003. A total of 1737 individuals were collected, occupying 19 gastropod shell species. Buccinanops gradatum (82%) was the most occupied shell, followed by Natica isabelleana (6.4%), Stramonita haemastoma (3.2%), and Cymatium parthenopeum (2.2%). There was a differential shell utilization pattern between sexes; males occupied larger and heavier shells while the non-ovigerous females occupied the lightest ones. Pagurus exilis occupied more bare shells instead of incrusted ones. Buccinanops gradatum was the most occupied shell species as a function of its availability in the survey, and this occupation is strongly associated with the higher internal volume presented by these shells.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pattern of shell occupation by the hermit crabPagurus exilis(Anomura, Paguridae) on the northern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

Terossi

Espósito

Meireles

et al. 2006

Journal of Natural History

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“…It is plausible that this encrustation may camouflage the crabs in the sand, possibly affecting the crab' choice and occupation of shells. Also, in some cases this association may be related to the shell-like morphology acquired by the epibionts, which can increase the shell strength and/or size (BROOKS & GWALTNEY 1993, SANDFORD 2003. The occupation of colonized shells can potentially minimize predation levels, increase fitness and predation, and reduce competition with other shell-seeking hermit crabs (BROOKS & MARISCAL 1985, BUCKLEY & EBERSOLE 1994.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epibiont occurrence on gastropod shells used by the hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Anomura: Diogenidae) on the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil

Ayres-Peres¹,

Mantelatto²

2010

Zoologia (Curitiba, Impr.)

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ABSTRACT. Gastropod shells occupied by hermit crabs are an important attachment substrate for epifauna, and these shells are often damaged. The present study aimed to characterize the epibionts and extent of damage for gastropod shells occupied by the hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Moreira, 1901). Samples were collected monthly over a period of one year (from July 2002 through June 2003), in the Caraguatatuba and Ubatuba regions, on the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil. The sampling was performed using a fishing boat equipped with double-rig nets. The shells were identified and weighed. Loxopagurus loxochelis occupied 14 gastropod shell species in Caraguatatuba and five in Ubatuba. In the two areas, approximately 55% of these gastropod shells bore epibionts, and a significantly large number (p < 0.05) showed no damage. The presence of epibionts did not significantly change the mean weight of shells. This cover may provide camouflage to the animals when they are associated with the sandy substrate, which possibly affects the occupancy of the shells by the hermit crabs. Undamaged shells may reflect a high availability of shells in good condition in the environment.

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“…On the other hand, the relationships between shell weight (SDW) and hermit size and weight (CSL and CWW) showed the smallest coefficients, probably because regressions calculated based on shell weight (SDW) do not reflect properly the fit between the hermit crab and the shell because encrusting epifauna can increase the weight of the shell considerably (e.g. Conover, 1978;Sandford, 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shell occupation by the hermit crab Dardanus insignis (Decapoda, Diogenidae) from the north Coast of São Paulo state, Brazil

et al. 2015

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The pattern of shell occupation by the hermit crab Dardanus insignis (Saussure, 1858) from the subtropical region of southeastern coast of Brazil was investigated in the present study. The percentage of shell types that were occupied and the morphometric relationships between hermit crabs and occupied shells were analyzed from monthly collections conducted during two years (from January 1998 to December 1999). Individuals were categorized according to sex and gonadal maturation, weighed and measured with respect to their cephalothoracic shield length (CSL) and wet weight (CWW). Shells were measured regarding their aperture width (SAW), dry weight (SDW) and internal volume (SIV). A total of 1086 hermit crabs was collected, occupying shells of 11 gastropod species. Olivancillaria urceus (Roding, 1798) was most commonly used by the hermit crab D. insignis, followed by Buccinanops cochlidium (Dillwyn, 1817), and Stramonita haemastoma (Linnaeus, 1767). The highest determination coefficients (r 2 > 0.50, p < 0.01) were recorded particularly in the morphometric relationships between CSL vs. CWW and SAW vs. SIV, which are important indication that in this D. insignis population the great majority the animals occupied adequate shells during the two years analysed. The high number of used shell species and relative plasticity in pattern of shell utilization by smaller individuals of D. insignis indicated that occupation is influenced by the shell availability, while larger individuals demonstrated more specialized occupation in Tonna galea (Linnaeus, 1758) shell.Keywords: associated species, interspecific relationships, gastropod shells, Anomura. Ocupação de conchas pelo ermitão Dardanus insignis na costa norte do estado de São Paulo, BrasilResumo O padrão de ocupação de conchas pelo ermitão D. insignis (Saussure, 1858) na região subtropical da costa sudeste do Brasil, foi investigada no presente estudo. Foram analisadas a percentual de tipos de conchas que foram ocupados e as relações morfométricas entre os ermitões e conchas ocupadas, a partir de coletas mensais realizadas durante dois anos (de janeiro de 1998 a dezembro de 1999). Os indivíduos foram classificados de acordo com o sexo e maturação, pesados e medidos em relação ao comprimento escudo cefalotoracico (CEC) e peso úmido (CPU). As conchas foram medidas em relação à sua largura de abertura (LAC), peso seco (PSC) e volume interno (VIC).

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Population dynamics and epibiont associations of hermit crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Paguroidea on Dog Island, Florida

Cited by 14 publications

References 22 publications

Pattern of shell occupation by the hermit crabPagurus exilis(Anomura, Paguridae) on the northern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

Pattern of shell occupation by the hermit crabPagurus exilis(Anomura, Paguridae) on the northern coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

Epibiont occurrence on gastropod shells used by the hermit crab Loxopagurus loxochelis (Anomura: Diogenidae) on the northern coast of São Paulo, Brazil

Shell occupation by the hermit crab Dardanus insignis (Decapoda, Diogenidae) from the north Coast of São Paulo state, Brazil

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