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The Role of Chemoreception and Host-Use on the Behavioral Ecology of the Pea Crab Tunicotheres moseri (Rathbun, 1918) in Tampa Bay, Florida

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Date Issued:
2008
Summary:
The pinnotherid Tunicotheres moseri (Rathbun, 1918) is a common symbiont with various solitary ascidians throughout its reported range of Jamaica, Venezuela, and West Florida. Cues affecting host use and host recognition in the West Florida population were the focus ofthis study. T. moseri responded to conspecific and host generated chemical cues in the water column. Although host generated chemical cues were recognized by T. moseri, tactile cues triggered much stronger responses to host ascidians. Results of conditioning trials suggest that T. moseri is a generalist in host use and accepts novel host species after conditioning with Molgula occidentalis and Phallusia nigra. However, T. moseri prefers S. plicata after conditioning with novel host species. The results of this study suggest that any genetic divergence existing between geographically disjunct populations of T. moseri are probably due to limited dispersal potential rather than population specific host fidelity and host use characteristics.
Title: The Role of Chemoreception and Host-Use on the Behavioral Ecology of the Pea Crab Tunicotheres moseri (Rathbun, 1918) in Tampa Bay, Florida.
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Name(s): Ambrosio, Louis J.
Brooks, W. Randy, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2008
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 36 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The pinnotherid Tunicotheres moseri (Rathbun, 1918) is a common symbiont with various solitary ascidians throughout its reported range of Jamaica, Venezuela, and West Florida. Cues affecting host use and host recognition in the West Florida population were the focus ofthis study. T. moseri responded to conspecific and host generated chemical cues in the water column. Although host generated chemical cues were recognized by T. moseri, tactile cues triggered much stronger responses to host ascidians. Results of conditioning trials suggest that T. moseri is a generalist in host use and accepts novel host species after conditioning with Molgula occidentalis and Phallusia nigra. However, T. moseri prefers S. plicata after conditioning with novel host species. The results of this study suggest that any genetic divergence existing between geographically disjunct populations of T. moseri are probably due to limited dispersal potential rather than population specific host fidelity and host use characteristics.
Identifier: FA00000724 (IID)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.
Subject(s): Marine animals--Physiology--Florida--Tampa Bay
Marine animals--Ecology--Florida--Tampa Bay
Crabs--Behavior--Florida--Tampa Bay
Rathbun, Mary Jane,--1860-1943--Research
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000724
Sublocation: Digital Library
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.