Size-selective foraging behaviour of blue crabs,<i>Callinectes sapidus</i>(Rathbun), when feeding on mobile prey: Active and passive components of predation

Mascaró, Maité; Hidalgo, Luis E.; Chiappa‐Carrara, Xavier; Simões, Nuno

doi:10.1080/10236240310001603224

Cited by 23 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Rather, our study indicates that the increased habitat structure in oyster shell may increase predator feeding efficiency (Grabowski and Powers 2004) for blue crabs, which we characterize as intermediate predators. However, we found no previous study that examined predation by blue crabs on white shrimp in the field (but see Mascaro et al 2003). Minello et al (1989) determined that the dominant fish predators of penaeids were southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma Jordan and Gilbert, 1884, gulf killifish Fundulus grandis Baird and Girard, 1853, pinfish Lagodon rhomboides (Linnaeus 1766), spot Leiostomus xanthurus Lacepède, 1802, speckled seatrout, and red drum Sciaenops ocellatus (Linnaeus 1766).…”

Section: Predationmentioning

confidence: 95%

Relative nursery function of oyster, vegetated marsh edge, and nonvegetated bottom habitats for juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus

Shervette

Gelwick

2008

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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Shallow estuarine habitats, including vegetated marsh edge (VME), oyster reefs (oyster), and nonvegetated soft bottom (NVB), provide important functions for estuarine resident and estuarine-dependent species. A paucity of information exists concerning relative nursery value of these habitats for juvenile fishes and invertebrates. In Grand Bay, MS and Weeks Bay, AL, National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR), this study evaluated the potential of the three habitats to serve as nurseries by quantifying habitat-specific density, size, growth, and survival of juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus. Drop sampling in Oct 2003 and Jul 2004 indicated that white shrimp density was significantly greater in oyster and VME when compared with adjacent NVB. No significant difference occurred in density between oyster and VME. Significantly larger shrimp were collected in NVB, intermediate-sized shrimp were collected in oyster, and smaller shrimp were collected in VME. Using field enclosures to study growth of juvenile white shrimp we found significantly higher growth in oyster when compared with NVB and VME. Predator mesocosm experiments indicated that when blue crabs were used as predators, white shrimp juveniles experienced significantly higher survival rates in VME and NVB when compared with oyster. Our study suggests that juvenile white shrimp may select for oyster over NVB because of higher food availability and not necessarily for refuge needs from predation by blue crabs. In addition, juvenile habitat needs may shift with individual growth, indicating that the relative nursery value of a habitat is not inclusive for all juvenile sizes. Similar to VME, oyster provides an important function in the juvenile stages of white shrimp and should be examined further as a potential nursery habitat.

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Section: Predationmentioning

confidence: 95%

Relative nursery function of oyster, vegetated marsh edge, and nonvegetated bottom habitats for juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus

Shervette

Gelwick

2008

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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“…The effects of starvation, intra-species competition and predation risk on foraging strategy have also been examined (Lawton 1987;Scarratt & Godin 1992;Nyström & Pérez 1998;Spanier et al 1998;Mascaró & Seed 2001a, 2001bFrancesca et al 2002;Fourzán et al 2003). In addition, reports on plasticity in the feeding behaviour of crabs have also appeared (Kaiser et al 1993;Achituv & Pedrotti 1999;Burch & Seed 2000;Whitman et al 2001;McConaugha 2002;Mascaró et al 2003;Smallegange & van der Meer 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Feeding in the megalopae of the mud crab (Scylla paramamosain): mechanisms, plasticity, role of chelipeds and effect of prey density

Chen

Lin

Wang

et al. 2013

Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology

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Feeding in the megalopae of the mud crab (Scylla paramamosain): mechanisms, plasticity, role of chelipeds and effect of prey densityWe used microscopic video records to analyse the behaviour of mud crab megalopae (Scylla paramamosain) fed on rotifers (Brachiomus spp.), Artemia sp. or copepods (Schmackeria dubin). The megalopae were able to capture prey whose sizes ranged from no larger than Artemia nauplii to no smaller than adult Artemia. The megalopae employed three feeding modes: (1) Ambush-Prey mode, (2) Swim-Suspension-Feed mode and (3) Sit-Sweep mode. These involved raptorial feeding, suspension feeding and an in-between raptorial-suspension feeding mode, depending on the size of the prey and their density in the surrounding water. The chelipeds played an important role in feeding. Megalopae used the chelipeds to grip or sweep prey items and their movement generated eddies that can increase feeding efficiency. To verify the contribution of the chelipeds to feeding efficiency, we observed and compared the animals under three cheliped treatment regimes: (1) Autotomized -chelipeds removed by induced autotomy; (2) Glued -chelipeds glued at the dactylus-propodus joint to eliminate their ability to grip; and (3) Control -normal chelipeds. The feeding rates of the autotomized and glued treatments were lower than those of the controls, demonstrating that the chelipeds assist in feeding but that the megalopae can still feed without them. The density of prey also affected feeding efficiency. Feeding rate and prey density were positively correlated. When prey density was high, megalopae were able to feed in excess of their nutritional requirements. The study shows that mud crab megalopae respond flexibly to variations in feeding conditions, such as damaged chelipeds, as well as prey size and density. We postulate that this plasticity evolved in response to the dilute and patchy prey conditions of the estuarine environment. All the analysed behaviours are illustrated with video sequences.

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“…This pattern was captured by the RDA analysis, where we found a positive correlation between the abundance of crabs and that of large shrimps. A species related to the shore crab, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, prefers larger shrimps to smaller ones and even consumes shrimps of a larger body size than its own (Mascaró et al 2003). We are not aware of studies that have investigated to what extent shore crabs prefer brown shrimps over other prey species, or what shrimp size shore crabs prefer, but brown shrimps make up a large part (up to 50%) of the shore crab's diet (Afman 1980, Pihl 1985.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We were unable to find estimates of the time that shore crabs need to handle a brown shrimp (λ -1 ). In blue crabs Callinectes sapidus, the average handling time of a white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus of medium to large size (40 to 90 mm total length) was on average 600 s (Mascaró et al 2003). The size ratio of large brown shrimps relative to adult shore crabs is similar to that of white shrimps relative to blue crabs; therefore, we assumed that the time required by a shore crab to handle a brown shrimp is also 600 s. We assumed that a juvenile needs 200 s more to handle a large brown shrimp.…”

Section: Parameterisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution of shore crabs Carcinus maenas in an intertidal environment in relation to their morphology, prey availability and competition

Smallegange¹,

Noordwijk²,

Meer³

et al. 2009

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Identifying the key determinants of benthic predator distributions is crucial in understanding the dynamics of predator and prey populations in intertidal environments. In this paper, we assessed the roles of predator morphology, prey availability and competition in determining the distribution of an important benthic predator, the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.). The abundance of shore crabs at high tide on 3 intertidal mudflats in the Dutch Wadden Sea was assessed in relation to distance to the nearest gully, size, sex and colour of the crabs. Furthermore, food availability (bivalves, crustaceans, polychaetes) in the sampling sites was measured. Half of all crabs were found in the gullies adjacent to each mudflat, where the abundance of a prey species (the large brown shrimp Crangon crangon) was also highest. The spatial distribution of crabs between the gullies and the mudflats depended in an interactive way on the colour morph and sex of individuals. Comparing observed distributions of crabs with those predicted from a recently developed ideal free distribution model showed that crabs did not distribute themselves optimally in terms of maximising food uptake and minimising the strength of competition from conspecifics. The results highlight the yet underrated role of shore crabs as a potentially important predator of shrimps, and the need to incorporate morphological characteristics and different prey types into ideal free distribution models to test the optimal foraging behaviour of benthic crabs. KEY WORDS: Blue mussel · Mytilus edulis · Cockle · Cerastoderma edule · Intertidal · Generalized functional response · 2-phenotypes interference model Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 392: [143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155] 2009 of an important benthic predator, the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.).The shore crab occurs abundantly along European Atlantic coasts and estuaries, and has invaded the North American Atlantic coasts (Berrill & Arsenault 1982) and some areas in southern Africa, Australia and the Pacific coast of North America (Cohen et al. 1995). The local occurrence of shore crabs varies with habitat characteristics such as tidal regime and water depth, and depends on their size, sex and colour. Generally, males are more migratory than females, and green crabs, which are in early or normal intermoult, are more migratory than red crabs, which are in prolonged intermoult (Crothers 1968, McGaw & Naylor 1992, Warman et al. 1993, Aagaard et al. 1995. Red crabs are competitively stronger than similarly sized green crabs (Kaiser et al. 1990), but this is achieved at the expense of lower physiological tolerance, as green crabs are more resilient to environmental extremes (McGaw & Naylor 1992, Reid et al. 1997, Styrishave et al. 2004) and can therefore exploit more foraging areas than red crabs.We studied the spatial distribution of shore crabs on 3 intertidal mudflats in the western Wadden Sea (The Netherla...

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Size-selective foraging behaviour of blue crabs,Callinectes sapidus(Rathbun), when feeding on mobile prey: Active and passive components of predation

Cited by 23 publications

References 29 publications

Relative nursery function of oyster, vegetated marsh edge, and nonvegetated bottom habitats for juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus

Relative nursery function of oyster, vegetated marsh edge, and nonvegetated bottom habitats for juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus

Feeding in the megalopae of the mud crab (Scylla paramamosain): mechanisms, plasticity, role of chelipeds and effect of prey density

Spatial distribution of shore crabs Carcinus maenas in an intertidal environment in relation to their morphology, prey availability and competition

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