Summary
-
1.
The anatomy of the muscles attaching to the dorsal rim of the basi-ischiopodite and the associated cuticular structures ofCarcinus maenas, Maia squinado andPagurus bernhardus was examined.
-
2.
There are four such muscles in brachyuran walking limbs (Figs. 1A and 5B) each of which has a specific function as outlined in Table 1. There is a further subdivision of muscle function in the cheliped (Fig. 1B).
-
3.
Myograms obtained from the posterior levator muscles (PPLM and RPLM) of the walking limbs reveal that in brachyura the muscles are physiologically distinguishable both during limb levation and autotomy (Fig. 2).
-
4.
The antagonistic action of these muscles upon autotomy enables the anterior levator muscle force to be rapidly switched from a cuticular projection onto the cuticular plug which forms the link across the limb breakage plane (Figs. 4 and 7).
-
5.
The reflex control of autotomy by the cuticular stress detector (CSD1) was analyzed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alexander, R.McN.: Animal mechanics. London: Sidgwick and Jackson 1968
Alexander, R.McN.: Biomechanics. London: Chapman and Hall 1975
Clarac, F., Wales, W.: Controle sensoriel des muscles élévateurs au cours de la marche et de l'autotomie chez certains crustacés decapods. C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)271, 2163–2166 (1970)
Clarac, F., Wales, W., Laverack, M.S.: Stress detection at the autotomy plane in decapod Crustacea. II. The function of the receptors associated with the cuticle of the basi-ischiopodite. Z. vergl. Physiol.73, 383–407 (1971)
Cochran, D.M.: The skeletal musculature of the blue crab. Smithson. misc. Collns92, 1–76 (1935)
Frédéricq, L.: Nouvelles recherches sur l'autotomie chez le crabe. Mém. cour. et autres Mém. Acad. roy. Belg.46, 1–32 (1892)
McVean, A.R.: Neuromuscular co-ordination inCarcinus maenas. Ph.D. thesis: University of Wales, Cardiff, Wales (1970)
McVean, A.R.: Autotomy inCarcinus maenas (Decapoda: Crustacea). J. Zool. (Lond.)169, 349–364 (1973)
McVean, A.R.: The nervous control of autotomy inCarcinus maenas. J. exp. Biol.60, 423–436 (1974)
McVean, A.R.: Autotomy; A Mini-Review. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.51A, 497–505 (1975)
Moffett, S.: Motor patterns and structural interactions of the basiischiopodite levator muscles in routine limb elevation and production of autotomy in the land crab,Cardiosoma guanhumi. J. comp. Physiol.96, 285–305 (1975)
Paul, J.H.: A comparative study of the reflexes of autotomy in the decapod Crustacea. Proc. roy. Soc. Edinb. (B)35, 232–262 (1915)
Richards, C.W.: Engineering Materials Science. London: Chapman and Hall 1961
Wales, W., Clarac, F., Laverack, M.S.: Stress detection at the autotomy plane in decapod Crustacea. I. Comparative anatomy of the receptors of the basi-ischiopodite region. Z. vergl. Physiol.73, 357–382 (1971)
Wood, F.D., Wood, H.E.: Autotomy in the decapod Crustacea. J. exp. Zool.62, 1–55 (1932)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We are grateful to the Director and Staff of the Plymouth Laboratory of the Marine Biological Association U.K. for providing space and facilities for part of this work. This work was supported by an S.R.C. grant.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McVean, A., Findlay, I. Autotomy inCarcinus maenas: The role of the basi-ischiopodite posterior levator muscles. J. Comp. Physiol. 110, 367–381 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00659152
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00659152