Stimulation of feeding behavior in three species of fiddler crabs by hexose sugars

Feeding responses to five hexoses were examined in three closely related species of fiddler crabs, Uca minax, U.pugnax and U.pugilator. Hexoses tested were glucose, galactose, sorbose, fructose and mannose. Intact crabs and eyestalk-ablated crabs were tested. Responses to sugars were species specific. Eyestalks are directly involved in vision and overall neural integration as well as with chemosensory and metabolic pathways associated with feeding. Overall, eyestalk-ablated crabs were more sensitive uian intact crabs. Studies of responses of individuals within a population to hexoses showed tiiere are individual U.pugnax that respond to galactose and others that do not. Similarly, there were U.pugilator individuals that were mannose responsive and others that did not respond to mannose. An additional study of differences in population responses to hexoses would provide valuable tools in studying geographic relationships between fiddler crab populations. © 1989 IRL Press at Oxford University Press.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel Rittschof Marine Science and Conservation