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Responses of hermit crabs to hemolymph from conspecifics and heterospecific crustaceans

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Date Issued:
1996
Summary:
Previous studies indicate that hermit crabs may use the blood or hemolymph from dying crabs to locate the soon-to-be-vacated shells. In this study, I determined and characterized the responses of hermit crabs to hemolymph from various crustaceans. Hermit crabs tested included members of the Diogenidae: Dardanus venosus, Clibanarius tricolor, C. antillensis, C. vittatus, and Calcinus tibicen; and Paguridae: Pagurus longicarpus and P. annulipes. Test odor sources included the previously mentioned hermit crabs plus seven additional odors, including three non-anomuran crustaceans. Most significant responses to hemolymph were to species within the same family. In several cases, the strongest responses were to conspecifics or congenerics. These results show clearly that hermit crabs in general use chemicals from other hermit crabs as cues for finding new shells. These results also show that the shell a crab occupies influences its response to odors, illustrating the role of context in these interactions.
Title: Responses of hermit crabs to hemolymph from conspecifics and heterospecific crustaceans.
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Name(s): Baechler, Patricia Joann.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Brooks, W. Randy, Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1996
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 39 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Previous studies indicate that hermit crabs may use the blood or hemolymph from dying crabs to locate the soon-to-be-vacated shells. In this study, I determined and characterized the responses of hermit crabs to hemolymph from various crustaceans. Hermit crabs tested included members of the Diogenidae: Dardanus venosus, Clibanarius tricolor, C. antillensis, C. vittatus, and Calcinus tibicen; and Paguridae: Pagurus longicarpus and P. annulipes. Test odor sources included the previously mentioned hermit crabs plus seven additional odors, including three non-anomuran crustaceans. Most significant responses to hemolymph were to species within the same family. In several cases, the strongest responses were to conspecifics or congenerics. These results show clearly that hermit crabs in general use chemicals from other hermit crabs as cues for finding new shells. These results also show that the shell a crab occupies influences its response to odors, illustrating the role of context in these interactions.
Identifier: 9780591177602 (isbn), 15354 (digitool), FADT15354 (IID), fau:12121 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1996.
Subject(s): Hermit crabs
Hemolymph
Crustacea
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15354
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.