Abstract
The shell exchange in the hermit crabPagurus gemiuns was examined by computer simulations and experiments, to learn whether it is based on mutualistic interactions with both participants gaining, or on one-sided interactions with the large crab gaining regardless of loss and gain of the partner. The result of the experiment showed a much better fit to that of the one-sided simulation than the mutualistic simulation, suggesting that competitive interactions in which small crabs lose in the resulting shell exchanges are a part of shell fights of this species. While the shell exchange attempt can be regarded as aggressive, a higher probability of mutualistic encounters and of successful mutualistic shell exchanges in hermit crabs is discussed.
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Imafuku, M. Shell fights in the hermit crabPagurus geminus: Computer simulation and experiment. J. Ethol. 12, 35–42 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350078
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02350078