Composition, movimentation and shell exchange in hermit crabs (Anomura, crustacea) clusters at Araçá Bay, São Sebastião (SP)

• Grant number: 12/19552-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior
• Principal Investigator: Fosca Pedini Pereira Leite
• Grantee: Pedro Augusto da Silva Peres
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hermit crabs have an asymmetrical and no-sclerotized abdomen that stays sheltered by gastropod shells. The shells protect hermit crabs against predation and dissection, but influence aspects of their biology, such as fecundity and growth. Due to this influence, hermit crabs periodically seek and exchange their shells when they find a better quality shell (without epibionts, no damaged shells, etc). One way to acquire a new shell and exchange the old one is standing in clustering formation with other hermit crabs. Clusters are considered places where hermit crabs find protection against dissection and predators, where males find females, and where "shell exchange markets" are formed. The aim of this project is to study clustering formation, composition, and hermit crabs behavior in this situation at Araçá Bay, north coast of São Paulo state, Brazil. The project will be developed in four stages. The initial part will be identifying the shells and hermit crabs species in clustering formation. Then, experiments will be realized to understand the clustering formation, first with field marking and recapturing animals and, then with clustering formation under controlled tidal in laboratory conditions. Finally, also in the laboratory, artificial clusters will be analyzed to verify which are the characteristics of the first hermit crabs that exchange their shell when a new one is added to the system.(AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PERES, PEDRO A. S.; FERREIRA, ANA PAULA; LEITE, FOSCA P. P.. Expanding the ``shell exchange market{''} hypothesis for clustering behavior in intertidal hermit crabs: Mating and tide as proximate factors. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, v. 500, p. 100-104, MAR 2018. (12/19552-0)

PERES, PEDRO A. S.; FERREIRA, ANA PAULA; LEITE, FOSCA P. P.. Expanding the "shell exchange market" hypothesis for clustering behavior in intertidal hermit crabs: Mating and tide as proximate factors. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, v. 500, p. 5-pg., 2018-03-01. (12/19552-0)