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Responses of the Crab Heterozius rotundifronsto Heterospecific Chemical Alarm Cues: Phylogeny vs. Ecological Overlap

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Abstract

The big-handed brachyuran crab Heterozius rotundifronsextends the time spent in its anti-predator posture, limb extended posture, if exposed to chemical cues from crushed conspecifics. In this study, we tested whether crabs also respond to chemical cues from crushed heterospecific crabs, and if so, whether phylogenetic relations or ecological overlap is more important in influencing the duration of the anti-predator posture. Chemical cues from two other brachyuran crabs (Cyclograpsus lavauxi and Hemigrapsus sexdentatus), which do not overlap directly in ecological distribution with H. rotundifrons, elicited a duration of the anti-predator posture that was indistinguishable from that produced by conspecific chemical cues. In contrast, chemical cues from two anomuran crabs (Petrolisthes elongatus and Pagurus novizealandiae) that overlap in ecological distribution with H. rotundifrons, elicited durations of the antipredator posture that were significantly shorter than those of either conspecifics or more closely related crab species. Thus, phylogenetic relationship seems to be more important than ecological overlap in influencing anti-predator behavior in H. rotundifrons.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109

    Brian A. Hazlett

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, N. Z.

    Colin McLay

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  1. Brian A. Hazlett
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  2. Colin McLay
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Correspondence to Brian A. Hazlett.

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Hazlett, B.A., McLay, C. Responses of the Crab Heterozius rotundifronsto Heterospecific Chemical Alarm Cues: Phylogeny vs. Ecological Overlap. J Chem Ecol 31, 671–677 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-2054-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-005-2054-1

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