Sex and size affecting time allocations for activities in Uca annulipes (H. Milne Edwards, 1837)

Crustaceana ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 89 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 759-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fahmida Wazed Tina ◽  
Mullica Jaroensutasinee ◽  
Krisanadej Jaroensutasinee

We investigated the amount of time that large and small, male and female fiddler crabsUca annulipes(H. Milne Edwards, 1837) spent on feeding, walking, standing, grooming, burrowing, inside burrows, fighting, and courtship waving. We video-recorded the activities of 45 males (22 small and 23 large), and 39 females (19 small and 20 large) each for 5 min, and calculated the percentage of time spent on each activity/crab. Our results showed that both sexes spent more time on feeding than on other activities. Males spent more time on building burrows, walking, and grooming than females, and females spent more time inside burrows than males. Smaller males spent more time on feeding, and less time on building burrows and on waving than larger ones. There were no relations between female body size and activities. Feeding rate/feeding claw was higher in males than in females, and crab body size was negatively associated with feeding rate/min.

Behaviour ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 155 (10-12) ◽  
pp. 905-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fahmida W. Tina ◽  
M. Jaroensutasinee ◽  
K. Jaroensutasinee

Abstract We tested for the first time how Austruca bengali Crane, 1975 signaller males adjusted their waving rates based on receiver female body sizes and their distances. We video recorded the waving display of 46 males (9–12 mm carapace width) for 30 s, and counted their waving rate. Receiver females were categorised as small (8–10 mm carapace width) and large (>10 mm). Distances between males and females were categorised as short (⩽12 cm) and long (>12 cm) distances. Our results indicate that males are able to measure distances and female sizes, and adjust their waving display by actively reducing waving rate (1) towards small females, as usually small females have lower fecundity compared to large ones and (2) towards females at very close distance because at this point, the females would make their mating decision, and thus males start to lead/hit the females towards their burrow rather than waving vigorously.


1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail F. Huon ◽  
Sue E. Morris ◽  
Laurence B. Brown

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matjaž Kuntner ◽  
Chris A. Hamilton ◽  
Cheng Ren-Chung ◽  
Matjaž Gregorič ◽  
Nik Lupše ◽  
...  

AbstractInstances of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) provide the context for rigorous tests of biological rules of size evolution, such as Cope’s Rule (phyletic size increase), Rensch’s Rule (allometric patterns of male and female size), as well as male and female body size optima. In certain spider groups, such as the golden orbweavers (Nephilidae), extreme female-biased SSD (eSSD, female:male body length ≥ 2) is the norm. Nephilid genera construct webs of exaggerated proportions which can be aerial, arboricolous, or intermediate (hybrid). First, we established the backbone phylogeny of Nephilidae using 367 Anchored Hybrid Enrichment (AHE) markers, then combined these data with classical markers for a reference species-level phylogeny. Second, we used the phylogeny to test Cope and Rensch’s Rules, sex specific size optima, and the coevolution of web size, type, and features with female and male body size and their ratio, SSD. Male, but not female, size increases significantly over time, and refutes Cope’s Rule. Allometric analyses reject the converse, Rensch’s Rule. Male and female body sizes are uncorrelated. Female size evolution is random, but males evolve towards an optimum size (3.2–4.9 mm). Overall, female body size correlates positively with absolute web size. However, intermediate sized females build the largest webs (of the hybrid type), giant female Nephila and Trichonephila build smaller webs (of the aerial type), and the smallest females build the smallest webs (of the arboricolous type). We propose taxonomic changes based on the criteria of clade age, monophyly and exclusivity, classification information content, diagnosability, and arachnological community practice. We resurrect the family Nephilidae Simon 1894 that contains Clitaetra Simon 1889, the Cretaceous Geratonephila Poinar & Buckley 2012, Herennia Thorell 1877, Indoetra Kuntner 2006, new rank, Nephila Leach 1815, Nephilengys L. Koch 1872, Nephilingis Kuntner 2013, and Trichonephila Dahl 1911, new rank. We propose the new clade Orbipurae to contain Araneidae Clerck 1757, Phonognathidae Simon 1894, new rank, and Nephilidae. Nephilid female gigantism is a phylogenetically-ancient phenotype (over 100 ma), as is eSSD, though their magnitudes vary by lineage and, to some extent, biogeographically.


2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fahmida Wazed Tina

Abstract The alteration of signals of animals in response to changes in environmental factors is a common phenomenon. In male fiddler crabs, waving major claws towards females is energetically costly; thus, males need to adjust their waving in a way that increases the chance of potential mate attraction while reducing the waving cost. In this study, I examined how Austruca perplexa males adjusted their waving rate based on male-male competition (male numbers in a cluster [Austruca perplexa males make groups and wave synchronously towards females]), female body size, and the distances of the receiver females from the signaller males. Forty clusters were selected randomly; from each cluster, I randomly selected one male, video recorded his waving behaviour and calculated waving rate (waves/min). Body size (carapace width) and distances of receiver females were measured. To analyze the effects of competition, female size, and their distances on male waving rate through binary logistic regression analysis, all variables were divided into two categories (male waving rate: low and high, competition: low and high, female size: small and large, and female distances: short and long) based on a median split method. Afterwards a series of binary logistic regression models were built and the relative supports of various models were assessed based on the corrected Akaike information criterion. Results showed that competition, female body size and their distances affected the male waving rate in an additive manner, but their interactions did not show any effect. Further research can be conducted to investigate how breeding season and predation risk along with competition, female size and female distances affect the claw-waving display of male fiddler crabs.


Hydrobiologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 684 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tetsumi Takahashi ◽  
Kazutaka Ota ◽  
Masanori Kohda ◽  
Michio Hori

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