Function of the major cheliped in male–male competition in the hermit crab Pagurus nigrofascia

Yasuda, Chiaki I.; Suzuki, Yutaro; Wada, Satoshi

doi:10.1007/s00227-011-1736-1

Cited by 42 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Although autotomy of the cheliped is highly effective in immediate benefits for survival (Wasson et al 2002), the loss of the cheliped is known to have negative impacts on subsequent contests (Juanes & Smith 1995). Weaponless crabs have a decreased probability of winning in dyadic contests compared with intact crabs (Berzins & Caldwell 1983, Neil 1985, Smith 1992, Abello et al 1994) even if they are larger in body size than the opponents (Daleo et al 2009) or they have ownership of the resource (Yasuda et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid regeneration of the major cheliped in relation to its function in male-male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus middendorffii

Yasuda

Matsuo

Wada

2014

Plankton Benthos Res

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Abstract:Most crustaceans are known to regenerate their appendages after losing them, and the pattern of regeneration may be related to its function. The pattern of regeneration of the right major cheliped was examined after experimentally induced autotomy and its behavioral function during male-male contests for mates was investigated in the hermit crab Pagurus middendorffii. Males with an autotomized major cheliped regenerated it at the first molt after autotomy and showed smaller growth in body size than in control males. The shape of the regenerated cheliped was more slender than the original, implying that the regenerated major cheliped would be less robust and weaker than previously. The length of the major cheliped of an owner male (guarding a female at the start of a dyadic contest) and the body size of an intruder affected whether or not the contest escalated, but the major cheliped length of the intruder and the body size of the owner determined the outcome of the escalated contest. The intruder used the major cheliped as an offensive weapon to take the female away from the owner by force after the contest escalated. The owner often moved the major cheliped forward, similar to a fencing weapon, before escalation. Such movement of the owner seems to be effective to prevent the intruders from approaching, and the regenerated cheliped of the owner may not require much robustness and strength as a defensive weapon before escalation. Rapid regeneration of the major cheliped in P. middendorffii would therefore be beneficial to minimize the disadvantages incurred by loss of the major cheliped.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid regeneration of the major cheliped in relation to its function in male-male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus middendorffii

Yasuda

Matsuo

Wada

2014

Plankton Benthos Res

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“…Gammarus pulex RHP Elwood & Neil 1992;Wada et al 1999;Yasuda et al 2011 Pagurus filholi Yoshino et al 2004;Goshima et al 2006 P. middendorffii P. nigrofascia Wada et al 2011;Suzuki et al 2012 e.g., Wada et al 1995;Goshima et al 1998 i. Table 2 GLM, Z 3.81, P 0.001, Z 5.00, P 0.001 Table 3 Z 2.76, P 0.01…”

Section: Terton-gibbons Et Al 1996mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of male size and mate quality on male-male contest in the hermit crab <i>Pagurus filholi</i>

Tanikawa

Yasuda

Suzuki

et al. 2012

Japanese Journal of Benthology

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Abstract:Males of the hermit crab Pagurus filholi guard females until spawning, and male-male contest often occur when guarding males encounter other males. A contest comprises two phases, initial contact and physical combat, and larger males typically win. We conducted male-male contest experiments to examine whether body sizes of both sexes of P. filholi and female receptivity affect whether and when a contest escalates to physical combat, as well as contest duration and outcome. For each experimental trial, a pair, comprising a pairing male and a pairing female , and a second male intruder were placed into a small container, and their behaviors were observed for 15 minutes. Each intruder had been guarding a female in the field but we removed this female removed female just before the trial. All pairs in the field were reconstructed each after trial to quantify female receptivity. This was done by checking each female for spawning every day. As an index of size, we measured shield length length of calcified anterior portion of cephalothorax of all crabs. In the trials, large size of the intruder and high receptivity of the removed female significantly shortened the time until the onset of physical combat. Intruders needed more time to take over the pairing females and were less likely to win the contests when the intruders were small, the pairing males were large, and the removed females were large. Body size and receptivity of the pairing female had no effect on the process and the outcome of male-male contest. These results suggest that a male P. filholi can assess the quality of female it is guarding and remember its assessment for at least a short period. Asymmetry between contestants in this memory store for female quality could affect the process and the outcome of male-male contests in P. filholi.

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“…Many empirical studies for male-male contests have focused on the difference in resource holding potential between competitors (Lailvaux et al 2005;Prenter et al 2006Prenter et al , 2008Yasuda et al 2011). For example, larger males have been shown to be more likely to retain or successfully seize possession of (below as, takeover) nests and/or mates in a sand goby (Lindstöm 1992), a penguin (Renison et al 2002) and a hermit crab (Yasuda et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, larger males have been shown to be more likely to retain or successfully seize possession of (below as, takeover) nests and/or mates in a sand goby (Lindstöm 1992), a penguin (Renison et al 2002) and a hermit crab (Yasuda et al 2011). The perception of resource value can also differ between contestants especially in a resident-intruder situation since the resident has spent more time at the resource, and has already gathered more information about the resource that is being contested (Arnott & Elwood 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When a solitary male encounters with another male that is guarding a female, contest competition usually occurs between the two males. If the intruder male is larger than the pairing male, takeover often occurs in male-male contest of P. middendorffii, P. filholi and P. nigrofascia (Wada et al 1999;Yoshino et al 2004;Yasuda et al 2011). Female quality may affect the outcomes of male-male contests in Pagurus hermit crabs since the body size of females varies within populations and larger females have a higher fecundity in many Pagurus hermit crabs (Wada et al 1995;Goshima et al 1996;1998;Wada et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Male mate choice and male–male competition in the hermit crab Pagurus nigrofascia: importance of female quality

et al. 2012

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Male mate choice has recently been reported in some animals with male-male competition. In the laboratory, we examined whether males choose their mates based on female quality that was indicated by body size and/or days to prenuptial molt, and the effects of female quality on malemale competition in the hermit crab Pagurus nigrofascia. We collected samples from April to May 2009 at an intertidal shore in Hokkaido, Japan (41°N, 140°E). When a male simultaneously encountered two receptive females in the mate choice experiment, males chose females which require less time to molt. When a male guarding a female with less time to molt was challenged by an intruder, the guarding male defended the female for a longer period and was more likely to win the contest. These results indicate that male P. nigrofascia use time to molt to discriminate between females.3

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Function of the major cheliped in male–male competition in the hermit crab Pagurus nigrofascia

Cited by 42 publications

References 33 publications

Rapid regeneration of the major cheliped in relation to its function in male-male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus middendorffii

Rapid regeneration of the major cheliped in relation to its function in male-male contests in the hermit crab Pagurus middendorffii

Effects of male size and mate quality on male-male contest in the hermit crab <i>Pagurus filholi</i>

Male mate choice and male–male competition in the hermit crab Pagurus nigrofascia: importance of female quality

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