Visual Orientation to Gastropod Shells by Chemically Stimulated Hermit Crabs, Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc)

1995 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Humberto Diaz ◽  
Beatriz Orihuela ◽  
Dan Rittschof ◽  
Richard B. Forward
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Visual Orientation ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus

Gastropod predation sites: the role of predator and prey in chemical attraction of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus

1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rittschof ◽  
C.M. Kratt ◽  
A.S. Clare
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Gland ◽  
Ionic Strength ◽  
Salivary Glands ◽  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Muscle Proteins ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus ◽  
Low Ionic Strength

Gastropod shells are essential to most hermit crabs. Shell availability limits hermit crab populations. Shells provide protection and the degree of shell-fit controls crab growth and fecundity. Crabs locate new gastropod shells from a distance under water by molecules released from gastropod flesh during predation events. Here we test the hypothesis that the salivary glands of the predatory gastropod are the source of enzymes that digest muscle proteins and release peptide attractants. We describe the anatomy of both the acinous salivary glands and the tubular accessory salivary glands of Busycon contrarium which are similar to those of B. carica. The salivary gland ducts empty at the mouth, suggesting a role in the primary digestion of food. We show that gastropod muscle proteins, extracted by salt solutions with the ionic strength of sea water and purified by precipitation in low ionic strength can be digested by gastropod salivary gland enzymes to generate peptides attractive to the hermit crab, Clibanarius vittatus, in field assays.

Chemically Stimulated Visual Orientation and Shape Discrimination by the Hermit Crab Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc)

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Humberto Diaz ◽  
Richard B. Forward ◽  
Beatriz Orihuela ◽  
Dan Rittschof
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Visual Orientation ◽  
Shape Discrimination ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus

Effects of tributyltin exposure in hermit crabs: Clibanarius vittatus as a model

2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 632-638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Sampaio Sant'Anna ◽  
Dayana Moscardi dos Santos ◽  
Mary Rosa Rodrigues de Marchi ◽  
Fernando José Zara ◽  
Alexander Turra
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus

scholarly journals Characterization of the occupied shells by the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Decapoda, Diogenidae) at Baixio Mirim tideflat, Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 833-842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara R. Sampaio ◽  
Setuko Masunari
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Spring Tide ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Correlation Ratio ◽  
Stramonita Haemastoma ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus ◽  
Successful Establishment ◽  
Shield Length

A characterization of the occupied shells by the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus was carried out. Hermit crabs were collected in the intertidal zone, during the low spring tide monthly from April 2005 to March 2006. They were sexed and their cephalothoracic shield length (CL) was measured. Shells were identified, dried, weighed and the aperture length (AL) and width (AW) were measured. 1187 crabs were collected (949 males, 216 females and 22 intersexes), which occupied 12 species of gastropod shells. Stramonita haemastoma, Olivancillaria urceus and Dorsanum moniliferum made up 96.55% of the total shell species. Male hermit crabs attained significantly larger sizes than females; therefore, males occupied a wider spectrum of shells in size and weight. A stronger correlation ratio was obtained between CL and AW of S. haemastoma. Last whorl with a rounded shape and a spacious inner area is a common feature of all shell species most frequently occupied by this hermit crab where it occurs. The successful establishment of C. vittatus at Baixio Mirim is mainly due to the appropriately shaped and wide range of size of S. haemastoma shells that were most often occupied by the hermit crabs of the studied population.

scholarly journals Shell utilization pattern of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Crustacea, Anomura) in an estuary at São Vicente, State of São Paulo, Brazil

2006 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno S. Sant'Anna ◽  
Cilene M. Zangrande ◽  
Alvaro L. D. Reigada ◽  
Marcelo A. A. Pinheiro
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Size Difference ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Utilization Pattern ◽  
Shell Size ◽  
Stramonita Haemastoma ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus ◽  
Shield Length

We evaluated the gastropod shell utilization pattern of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Bosc, 1802) at Pescadores Beach in São Vicente, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Specimens were collected monthly from May 2001 through April 2003, in the intertidal zone at low tide. The crabs were weighed and their carapace shield length measured. All gastropod shells were identified and had their shell biometric parameters (total length and aperture length) measured (mm) and weighed (g). A total of 2,344 hermit crabs (644 males, 1,594 females, 45 ovigerous females and 61 individuals in intersex), using 13 species of gastropod shells, were collected. Stramonita haemastoma (Linnaeus, 1767), Cymatium parthenopeum (Von Salis, 1793) and Achatina fulica (Bowdich, 1822) comprised over 98% of all the shells. Male and intersex crabs were significantly larger than the females. This size difference strongly influenced the shell utilization pattern, principally in A. fulica, which has the largest shell size, that was only used by males and intersexual individuals of C. vittatus. Cymatium parthenopeum was the only shell species that showed a high determinant coefficient in all the biometric correlations evaluated. The high abundance of S. haemastoma shells and a strong correlation between crab size and shell aperture length established by a significant determination coefficient, indicated that C. vittatus uses this species as the principal resource for shell occupation at Pescadores Beach.

scholarly journals Population biology and reproduction of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus (Decapoda: Anomura) in an estuarine region of southern Brazil

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Sampaio Sant'Anna ◽  
Álvaro Luiz Diogo Reigada ◽  
Marcelo Antonio Amaro Pinheiro
Keyword(s):  
Hermit Crab ◽  
Population Biology ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Hermit Crabs ◽  
Reproductive Pattern ◽  
Size Frequency Distribution ◽  
Clibanarius Vittatus ◽  
Shield Length ◽  
Bell Shaped Curve ◽  
Modal Size

The population dynamics and reproduction of the hermit crab Clibanarius vittatus were evaluated on Pescadores Beach, located on the estuarine channel of São Vicente (São Paulo), Brazil. The hermit crabs were captured by hand during low tide, from May 2001 to April 2003. A total of 2554 hermit crabs were captured, of which 701 were males, 1741 non-ovigerous females, 48 ovigerous females and 64 intersex individuals. The size–frequency distribution of the males was represented by a platykurtic bell-shaped curve, which differed from the leptokurtic bell-shaped curve of the females. The smaller and intermediate classes were composed mainly of females (modal size 6.5–7.5 mm carapace shield length (CSL)), and the larger classes only by males (modal size 9.5–10.5 mm CSL). The overall sex-ratio was skewed toward females (0.39:1/M:F), differing significantly from the expected 1:1. A seasonal reproductive pattern was recorded for C. vittatus in this location, with more intensive reproductive activity in the warmer months. The absence of juveniles suggests that their recruitment area is different than the area inhabited by adults, possibly another area with more protection and specialized or different resources for young.

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