New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Burrowing behaviour of the paddle crab Ovalipes catharus (White, 1843) (Brachyura: Portunidae)

C. L. McLAY T. A. OSBORNE

Department of Zoology University of Canterbury Private Bag, Christchurch New Zealand

Abstract The burrowing behaviour of Ovalipes catharus (White, 1843) is described and compared with that of some other burrowing crabs. O. catharus is a fast, back burrowing crab which makes temporary burrows in soft sand. The average time from initiation of burrowing to complete submergence was 6.5 s, there was no difference between males and females but burrowing time increased significantly with crab size. Similar morphological adaptations are required for burrowing and swimming: streamlined body shape, smooth lightly constructed exoskeleton, and flattened legs. O. catharus has a reversed respiratory current like O. guadul-pensis but it differs in its burrowing behaviour. Compared to some other crabs, burrowing in O. catharus is rapid.

Keywords Portunidae; Ovalipes catharus; behaviour; back-burrowing; burrowing rate; paddle crab

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1985, Vol. 19: 125-130 Received 25 June 1984; accepted 12 November 1984

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (500K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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