Test step 1: can be shelled crabs treat alive gastropods off their shells?
Surprisingly, some studies have stated that hermit crabs is generally capable of deleting live gastropods off their shells (e.grams., Brightwell, 1951, Brightwell, 1953, Randall, 1964, Rutherford, 1977). As an instance, regarding the prominent Eu hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus), Brightwell (1951) stated that “whelks had been inevitably set abreast of by the bernhardus, and you can pulled out of their shells” (p. 283). Aside from such as for example anecdotal reports, but not, I’m unaware of people penned degree systematically research if crabs can access the newest shells from live gastropods, or investigations if or not crabs can access the shells of deceased gastropods whoever looks however stays unchanged in layer. Even in the event Jackson (1913) presented might concern almost a century before, indeed there be seemingly zero experimentally controlled examination out of hermit crabs’ performance to eradicate gastropods from their shells. Government toward hermit crabs that i consulted (private communication of: Meters. Bertness; R. Elwood; B. Hazlett; D. Rittschof; and you may G. Vermeij) was likewise unaware of these education; in the event I have also been advised you to a beneficial airplane pilot study from this topic is within progress towards the Pagurus longicarpus (individual interaction off R. Rotjan). The goal of today’s analysis was to have fun with behavioural studies in the lab and you may field, in which crabs was in fact paired with gastropods in almost any circumstances, to respond to a fundamental matter concerning the larger ecology of your own hermit clade: how limited is actually hermit crabs within their power to find the shells which can be so essential on the emergency and you may reproduction?
Material and methods
Several managed lab experiments is actually carried out to examine the brand new the amount that hermit crabs you may accessibility gastropod shells less than varying criteria. (περισσότερα…)