Maternal territoriality as an offspring defense strategy in red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii, Girard)

Abstract

The offspring-defense hypothesis of maternal territoriality in solitary and semisocial mammals [Wolff JO and Peterson JA. 1998. Ethol Ecol Evol 10:227-239] was evaluated in another taxon using maternal and nonmaternal female red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), a freshwater decapod crustacean that shows pronounced shelter-related maternal aggression. The maternal females were of three different categories: (1) ovigerous, (2) carrying primarily stage 1 offspring, or (3) tending offspring that were primarily stage 2. Each female was in residence in an individual aquarium containing only a gravel substrate for 24 hr prior to serial intrusions by male conspecifics. Virtually all of the residents, maternal and nonmaternal, excavated a depression (shelter) in the substrate prior to the first intrusion. The results showed that residents in each of the maternal categories won a significantly higher proportion of their encounters than did the nonmaternal residents, which showed only negligible defense and lost every encounter. However, there were no significant differences in encounter outcomes between the maternal resident categories. There was clear defense of the shelter by maternal females, with virtually all fighting being in or around it, thus demonstrating stable, heightened territorial defense throughout these maternal phases of reproduction. This support of the offspringdefense hypothesis of maternal territoriality is the first such evidence for a freshwater crustacean and is very similar to that recently reported in a related marine decapod, the American lobster (H. americanus). Aggr. Behav. 27:391-403, 2001.

Effects of egg removal on maternal aggression, biogenic amines, and stress indicators in ovigerous lobsters (Homarus americanus)

“…Clearly, the aggression was an attempt by the resident to maintain possession of the refuge in the face of attempts by the intruder to displace it. This shelter-related territorial behavior is remarkably similar to that found in P. clarkii (e.g., Blank and Figler, 1996;Peeke et al, 2000;Figler et al, 2001).…”

“…FIGLER et al (Figler et al, 1995a(Figler et al, ,b, 1997a(Figler et al, , 1999(Figler et al, , 2001Blank and Figler, 1996). A bout was terminated and one of the pair members was declared the winner if it accumulated 6 consecutive 'dominance signs' in the encounter.…”

“…Maternal red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) a freshwater decapod, show shelter-related territoriality from egg extrusion at least until the hatched progeny have developed beyond Stage 2. Maternal females successfully defend their territory against male and nonmaternal conspecifics (Figler et al, 1995b(Figler et al, , 1997a(Figler et al, , 2001. This level of aggression is in striking contrast to the generally subordinate behavior of nonmaternal female P. clarkii (Ameyaw-Akumfi, 1976;Figler et al, 1995a,b).…”

Sex‐specific affinity for redox‐active metals influences antioxidant responses of Callinectes amnicola (blue crab) populations in littoral and open water habitats of a tropical coastal lagoon

“…This possibility of maternal territorial behavior may also be given credence based on the occurrence of sexual size dimorphism as females were significantly larger than males in all seasons. Only a few reports of maternal territorial behavior have been made for crustaceans which includes the red swamp crayfish and a marine decapod, Homarus americanus (Figler, Blank, & Peeke, ).…”

Reducing aggression between freshwater crayfish (Cherax destructor Clark: Decapoda, Parastacidae) by increasing habitat complexity

“…The physiological state of crayfish can also influence their aggressive behaviour. For example, females carrying eggs or young initiate and win a significantly higher proportion of agonistic interactions than non‐maternal females (Figler, Twum, Finkelstein & Peeke 1995; Figler, Blank & Peeke 2001). Moult cycle is also observed to influence aggression levels (Bovbjerg 1953).…”