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Sympatry in grapsoid crabs (genera Planes and Plagusia) from olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), with descriptions of crab diets and masticatory structures

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Abstract

Grapsoid crabs of the genera Planes and Plagusia are commonly referred to as “rafting crabs” due to their propensity to live on flotsam and pelagic marine animals. Planes minutus and Planes major (=Planes cyaneus) are epibionts of sea turtles. Occurrences of grapsoid crabs in the genera Planes and Plagusia were evaluated on a total of 27 olive ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea, from the eastern tropic Pacific (1998–2001) and the Hawaiian Islands (2002) captured in July–December each year. This is the first report of Planes marinus and Plagusia squamosa on sea turtles, and of P. major, P. marinus, and P. squamosa in sympatry on a confined substrate. Stomach content analyses showed P. major and P. marinus consumed a variety of neuston and marine vegetation, with the former consuming considerably more animal material. Epibiotic P. squamosa consumed mostly plant material. The three Planes species had distinctive differences in gastric mill tooth morphology. The versatile mouthparts of P. marinus are described and resemble those of their congeners. Most female P. major and P. marinus collected were ovigerous and present in all survey months.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Kristina L. Williams (Caretta Research Project) for her help in measuring and cataloguing crabs. Pacific collections were supported by the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and thanks are extended to all personnel working on the cruises mentioned in this report. The microscopy equipment used for this study was provided through a grant to M. Frick by the PADI foundation. All necessary collection permits were granted through NMFS/NOAA to K. Kopitsky, who collected all of the Pacific grapsoids examined herein. Two anonymous reviewers provided helpful comments that improved the original draft of the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Friends of the National Zoo, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, MRC 5516, Washington, DC, 20013-7012, USA

    Michael G. Frick

  2. College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716, USA

    Kerry Kopitsky

  3. Department of Biology, Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118525, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Alan B. Bolten & Karen A. Bjorndal

  4. Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Azores, Portugal

    Helen R. Martins

Authors
  1. Michael G. Frick
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  2. Kerry Kopitsky
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  3. Alan B. Bolten
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  4. Karen A. Bjorndal
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  5. Helen R. Martins
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Correspondence to Michael G. Frick.

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Communicated by J. P. Grassle.

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Frick, M.G., Kopitsky, K., Bolten, A.B. et al. Sympatry in grapsoid crabs (genera Planes and Plagusia) from olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), with descriptions of crab diets and masticatory structures. Mar Biol 158, 1699–1708 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1684-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1684-9

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