Alex Mauricio Mopán-Chilito, María José Tovar-Gil, John F. Aristizabal, Maribel Rojas-Montoya
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
ABSTRACT Escape decisions to predators are influenced by aspects such as prey’s visual perspective, in which visual cues are essential to detect and react to predators. Crabs use the visual sense to detect and scaling potential threats. Here, we evaluate the escaping response of free-ranging Pacific hermit crab (Coenobita compressus) after showing them stimuli differing in size and shapes that resemble potential threats. We conducted a field experiment on 150 individuals of Pacific hermit crab. The crab’s reaction time and distance was recorded with respect to five predator models (large bird, small bird, large square, small square, and null model), additionally, the shell size of each crab was measured. We found that crab reaction time and distance are influenced by the large bird and large square models while shell size had no effect. Our results suggest that Pacific hermit crabs in this population have the ability to discriminate predators and base their escape response depending on the size and shape of the predator.
期刊介绍:
Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology is devoted to the publication of papers covering field and laboratory research into all aspects of the behaviour and physiology of all marine and freshwater animals within the contexts of ecology, evolution and conservation.
As the living resources of the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes are attracting increasing attention as food sources for humans and for their role in global ecology, the journal will also publish the results of research in the areas of fisheries biology and technology where the behaviour and physiology described have clear links to the contexts mentioned above.
The journal will accept for publication Research Articles, Reviews, Rapid Communications and Technical Notes (see Instructions for authors for details). In addition, Editorials, Opinions and Book Reviews (invited and suggested) will also occasionally be published. Suggestions to the Editor-In-Chief for Special Issues are encouraged and will be considered on an ad hoc basis.
With the goal of supporting early career researchers, the journal particularly invites submissions from graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. In addition to recognising the time constraints and logistical limitations their research often faces, and their particular need for a prompt review process, accepted articles by such researchers will be given prominence within the journal (see Instructions for authors for details).