Abstract

Anatomical differences were observed between sexes of P. samuelis. We measured the major cheliped and carapace lengths of hermit crabs caught off the coast of Southern California and found that male chelipeds were significantly larger relative to their carapace length than female chelipeds. Average male cheliped:carapace ratios were 1.86 while average female cheliped:carapace ratios were 1.32. We predicted that males and females would respond differently to cue waters created from their own sex. Females were exposed to female cue treatment odors and males were exposed to male cue treatment odors. We recorded hermit crabs exposed to cue treatment waters and analyzed four behaviors: withdrawn, head-extended, walking, and meral spread. Females were more likely than males to remain withdrawn in their shells when in non-agonistic cue treatment waters. Males were more likely than females to display meral spread when sensing conspecific cues. Both sexes displayed no difference in the amount of time spent stationary with head-extended across all cue treatment waters. Both sexes tended to walk more in the presence of agonistic cue waters.

LLU Discipline

Biology

Department

Earth and Biological Sciences

School

School of Public Health

First Advisor

Dunbar, Stephen G.

Second Advisor

Hayes, William

Third Advisor

Boskovic, Danilo

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

January 2013

Date (Title Page)

3-1-2013

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Pagurus samuelis; Adaptation (Biology)

Subject - Local

Sexual dimorphism; Pagurus samuelis; Hermit crabs

Type

Thesis

Page Count

90 p.

Digital Format

Application/PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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