Daily activity of four tropical intertidal hermit crabs from Southeastern Brazil
Braz. j. biol
;
63(3): 537-544, Aug. 2003. ilus
Article
in English
| LILACS
| ID: lil-353977
RESUMO
This study describes the daily activity in a simulated high tide situation of four species of hermit crabs (Pagurus criniticornis, Clibanarius antillensis, C. sclopetarius, and C. vittatus) that coexist in an intertidal flat in southeastern Brazil. Observations were done in two-hour intervals during two subsequent days (48 h) in three replicate pools with thirty crabs each. Among species (between and within genera) there was an evident variation in activity patterns, of which three could be distinguished. The circadian activity patterns of C. antillensis and C. vittatus could be characterized as evening and nocturnal, with resting peaks during the morning and afternoon. The circadian activity pattern of C. sclopetarius was characterized by two marked peaks of inactivity, corresponding to dawn and evening, which could represent an intrinsic association with the semi-lunar tidal cycles of the study area. Pagurus criniticornis showed high activity not influenced by day/night conditions during the entire observed period. These activity pattern variations of the studied hermit crabs should be taken into account in designing further experiments. More precise and accurate interspecific behavioral comparisons among species could be achieved in nocturnal experiments, the high activity period of all species.
Full text:
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Index:
LILACS (Americas)
Main subject:
Behavior, Animal
/
Circadian Rhythm
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Braz. j. biol
Journal subject:
Biology
Year:
2003
Type:
Article
/
Project document
Affiliation country:
Brazil
Institution/Affiliation country:
Fundação de Ensino Octávio Bastos/BR
/
Universidade Estadual de Campinas/BR
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