Sound production in Caribbean spiny lobsterPanulirus argusand its role in escape during predatory attack byOctopus briareus

Abstract

The production of sound (commonly called stridulation) in spiny lobsters when disturbed by humans is well documented but its function during encounters with natural predators remains largely undocumented. Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus stridulate during tailflip escape attempts in response to grasping of the carapace or antennae by human divers. We hypothesised that stridulating may be effective against predators like octopus which grasp the carapace and antennae during attacks in a way similar to human divers. In this study, we examined defensive sound production during nighttime encounters with Caribbean reef octopus Octopus briareus to determine how P. argus use stridulation and whether it improves survival. In staged nighttime encounters with octopus, lobsters stridulated both during grasping attacks by octopus and after being captured and restrained. Stridulating lobsters escaped from attacking octopuses more frequently and remained uncaptured longer during encounters than experimentally muted individuals. We discuss ecological and evolutionary implications for these data in lobster species that produce sounds when grasped.

Acoustic behaviour of the European spiny lobster Palinurus elephas

“…This result is in agreement with the findings of other authors (Lindberg 1955, Moulton 1957, Hazlett & Winn 1962, MeyerRochow & Penrose 1974, 1976, Patek 2001, Patek & Oakley 2003, Bouwma & Herrnkind 2009). These authors assumed that the lobsters only produced sounds in an anti-predator context.…”

“…These authors assumed that the lobsters only produced sounds in an anti-predator context. Moreover, Bouwma & Herrnkind (2009) demonstrated that spi ny lobsters Panulirus argus with an experimentally disabled stridulating apparatus were attacked and killed by predators more frequently than intact spiny lobsters.…”

“…The acoustic signals of spiny lobster species from several areas of the world are known (Moulton 1957, Meyer-Rochow & Penrose 1974, 1976, Patek 2001, Patek & Oakley 2003, Bouwma & Herrnkind 2009). However, little information is available to characterise the rasps emitted by Palinurus elephas.…”

“…Friction between the soft underside of the plectrum and the anteriorly projecting scales of the file causes the moving plectrum to alternately stick and slip, producing a pulse of sound with each slip (MeyerRochow & Penrose 1974, 1976, Patek 2001. Some authors have assumed that lobsters only produce sounds in an anti-predator context (Lindberg 1955, Moulton 1957, Hazlett & Winn 1962, Takemura 1971, Meyer-Rochow & Penrose 1974, 1976, Smale 1974, Mulligan & Fischer 1977, Patek 2001, Bouwma & Herrnkind 2009, Patek & Oakley 2003, Patek et al 2009, Staaterman at al 2010. Although various functional hypotheses for distress calls in other animals in anti-predator contexts have been suggested (Smith 1986, Driver & Humphries 1988, Klump & Shalter 1984, the role of lobsters' stridulation and the potential receivers remain unclear.…”

“…Spiny lobsters (Palinuridae), like other arthropods, produce acoustic signals (Moulton 1957, MeyerRochow & Penrose 1974, Patek 2002, Patek & Oakley 2003, Patek & Baio 2007, Bouwma & Herrnkind 2009, Patek et al 2009). The sound is produced by a specialised stridulating organ composed of 2 parts: a movable plectrum attached to the last segment of the antennal peduncle and a rigid file (Meyer-Rochow & Penrose 1974, 1976, Patek 2002, Patek & Oakley 2003, Patek & Baio 2007.…”