1999 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Ocypodid behavior and ecology in Panama
| Project/Area Number |
10041175
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A).
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
生態
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| Research Institution | University of the Ryukyus |
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Principal Investigator |
MURAI Minoru Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Professor, 熱帯生物圏研究センター, 教授 (80117267)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KOMAI Tomoyuki National History Museum and Institute, Chiba, Curator, 学芸研究員 (20260242)
MATSUMASA Masatoshi Dept. Biology, Iwate Medical Univ., Res. Associate, 教養部, 助手 (50219474)
TAKEDA Satoshi Marine Biological Station, Tohoku Univ., Assist. Prof., 理学部・附属臨界実験所, 助手 (50171640)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 1999
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| Keywords | Ocypodidae / Genus Uca / New World / Indo-West Pacific / Waving / Sound / Predation / Feeding behavior |
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| Research Abstract |
Most fiddler crab species distribute in the tropics and have highly developed social behaviors in the new world. To make clear a relation between their social behavior and the survivorship or reproductive success, and the biological meaning of their color pattern, morphology and social signals, we studied their courtship, feeding and predation by grackles in a tidal flat of Rodman and in shore of Naos Island in Panama. 1) We measured the time length of sound production by male Uca musica which sound to court females from their burrow. We suggested that the degree of ovary maturation of mating females varies the length of sound production. 2) Waving by male Uca beebei is also a type of courtship behavior. We measured a level of lactate in hemolymph to show an energy cost spend by waving. Waving increased the blood lactate. Glucose in hemolymph was at high level before their activity started, and the higher level continued in males with a higher rate of waving, but the level decreased in males with a lower rate of waving. 3) Male Uca beebei have higher rate of predation by grackles in the female. We studied it in a relation with the sexual selection. 4) Uca panamensis live in boulder shore. We showed that they almost feed on rocks in the shore and that thick hairs on their small chela are useful to pick up food on the rock. 5) Two genera are known in the family Ocypodidae in the new world, but more than 13 genera in the Indo-West Pacific. Species of the two genera in Rodman were found in all type of habitats occupied by species of Ocypodidae in the Indo-West Pacific.
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