Sexual Dimorphism and Behavioral Responses to Conspecific Chemical Cues in Pagurus samuelis

Anatomical differences were observed between sexes of P. samuelis. We measured the major cheliped and carapace lengths of hermit crabs caught off the coast of Southern California and found that male chelipeds were significantly larger relative to their carapace length than female chelipeds. Average male cheliped:carapace ratios were 1.86 while average female cheliped:carapace ratios were 1.32. We predicted that males and females would respond differently to cue waters created from their own sex. Females were exposed to female cue treatment odors and males were exposed to male cue treatment odors. We recorded hermit crabs exposed to cue treatment waters and analyzed four behaviors: withdrawn, head-extended, walking, and meral spread. Females were more likely than males to remain withdrawn in their shells when in non-agonistic cue treatment waters. Males were more likely than females to display meral spread when sensing conspecific cues. Both sexes displayed no difference in the amount of time spent stationary with head-extended across all cue treatment waters. Both sexes tended to walk more in the presence of agonistic cue waters.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Earth and Biological Sciences

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Kim, Maria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dunbar, Stephen G.
• Hayes, William
• Boskovic, Danilo

• Biology
• Pagurus samuelis; Adaptation (Biology)
• Sexual dimorphism
• Pagurus samuelis
• Hermit crabs

Statement dc:rights

• This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/128

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarsrepository.llu.edu:etd-1127