Plasticity in shell selection behaviour by the endemic hermit crab Diogenes alias (Anomura, Diogenidae) from the northeastern Arabian Sea, India

Abstract

Selection of gastropod shells as shelter by hermit crabs in controlled experiments would provide useful information on the utility of these shells in nature. In this study, shell size and species preferences of Diogenes alias from the northeastern Arabian Sea were quantified by free choice experiments. Males of D. alias, prefer Indothais lacera and Tibia curta, when choice was given; no differences were found for other demographic groups. All hermit crabs occupied larger shells than the shells they occupied in nature. The best correlation was observed between internal volume, weight, and aperture width of the shell with the size of the hermit crab. This pattern has also been reported for other species (i.e., Clibanarius albidigitus, Calcinus tibicen, and C. obscurus). Furthermore, the present study highlights the importance of optimal resources in a scarce environment.

Morphometric traits as drivers for module structures and species specialization: a study about the hermit crab–gastropod networks from three different regions on the Brazilian coast

“…Although a significant relationship was not found, it is unlikely that species specialization is not influenced by morphometric traits, at least at some degree. Usually, there is a correlation between hermit crabs morphometric traits and shells morphometric traits (Garcia & Mantelatto, 2001; Nirmal et al., 2020; Turra & Leite, 2003; Vance, 1972b). Thus, hermit crabs are often found living in shells which accommodate their needs, thus being specialized at some degree to use the local available shells.…”

Is there variation in the occupation of Gastropoda shells and in the diurnal and nocturnal activities of the hermit crab Dardanus insignis (Saussure, 1858) ?

“…Moreover, they are found in various types of substrates, such as mud, sand, shell, and rocky bottoms (Rieger, 1997). The abundance and diversity of hermit crabs depend on the suitability of the environment and the occurrence of gastropod shell species (Hazlett, 1981), as there is a preference for certain species based on the conditions faced by the individual (Nirmal et al, 2020).…”

“…The patterns of shell used by hermit crab vary between populations and are mainly influenced by the size and shape of the shells available during inspection, the locality (intertidal or sublittoral area), and the morphology of the hermit crab itself (Bertness, 1980, Mantelatto & Dominciano, 2002, Nirmal et al, 2020. Shell occupancy influences several biological characteristics of hermit crabs, including growth, survival rates, and reproductive potential (Hazlett, 1981).…”