In general, this study supports predictions central to This conspecificĪvoidance behavior reported herein is a novel strategy most likely employed to preemptively moseri juveniles and adults, when searching forĪscidians use chemical cues to avoid hosts occupied by conspecifics. Territoriality is ineffective in completely explaining the solitary social habit of this species.Īdditional experiments showed that T. The almost invariable success of intruder crabs colonizing occupied hosts, suggest that Documentedĭouble and triple cohabitations in the field coupled with laboratory observations demonstrating Mirror the overt behaviors commonly reported for other territorial crustaceans. While territoriality does occur, agonistic behaviors employed by T. To uninfected hosts, indicating as expected, that resident crabs exhibit monopolizationīehaviors. That intruder crabs take significantly longer to colonize previously infected compared Furthermore, laboratory experiments demonstrated moseri inhabit ascidian hosts solitarily with greaterįrequency than expected by chance alone. Tested this prediction with Tunicotheres moseri, an endosymbiotic crab dwelling in the atrialĬhamber of the morphologically simple, small, and relatively scarce ascidian Styela plicata.Īs predicted, natural populations of T. Relatively small and scarce hosts to live solitarily as a result of territorial behaviors. Host monopolization theory predicts symbiotic organisms inhabiting morphologically simple, ![]() sulcata, in order to seek protection from predators when other shelters are unavailable. ![]() The majority of recorded species only seem to temporarily associate with A. To efficiently defend their host against conspecifics. phalangium were only recorded alone or in heterosexual pairs, appearing complex cranchii, Clibanarius erythropus, Maja brachydactyla, Pilumnus hirtellus and Polybius (Necora) puber displayed short-term associations, were mainly present on the substratum near the base, and avoided the tentacles of A. The most abundant species were the shrimp Periclimenes sagittifer and the crab Inachus phalangium (representing 36 and 31% of collected specimens, respectively), which displayed lasting associations and were commonly recorded among the tentacles of the host. From all sampled anemones, 79% harboured at least 1 decapod´crustacean, with the majority displaying either one or two specimens (32 and 24%, respectively). It determines whether the anemone is monopolised by any species, resulting in the exclusion of conspecifics or other decapods and, under laboratory conditions, it evaluates theĭegree of association between each species and A. The present work identifies the decapod crustaceans that associate with Anemonia sulcata on the southwestern Atlantic coast of Portugal and characterises their host use pattern.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |