New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts
Masking and ingestion preferences of the spider crab Notomithrax ursus
(Brachyura: Majidae)
CHRIS M. C. WOODS
COLIN L. McLAY
Department of Zoology
University of Canterbury
Christchurch, New Zealand
Abstract In laboratory tests, the spider crabs Notomithrax
ursus, collected near Kaikoura peninsula, South Island, New Zealand, were
shown to mask with some species of algae more than others. The types of algae
most preferredas masking material were branched algae such as Halopteris
spicigera and Corallina officinalis. Thallose-like algae such as
Ulva sp., and strap-like algae such as Cladhymenia oblongifolia,
were less preferred. It was also shown that algae with which N. ursus
prefers masking are also the algae that N. ursus prefers to eat. The
conflicting requirements of masking and food storage, and possible reasons for
algal choice are discussed.
Keywords algae; diet; masking crab; Notomithrax ursus;
preference
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (547K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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