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Orientation in Shore-Living Arthropods, Especially the Sand Fiddler Crab

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Behavior of Marine Animals

Abstract

The motile macrofauna of coastal and estuarine sand beaches is represented nearly exclusively by arthropods, particularly semiterrestiral marine crustaceans. The permanent residents include amphipods (Talitridae; Hurley, 1968), isopods (Tylidae; Edney, 1968), and decapod crustaceans (Ocypodidae, Grapsiade, Mictyridae, Coenobitidae; Bliss, 1968). More occasional residents are wolf spiders (Lycosidae; Papi and Tongiorgi, 1963), beetles (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Tenebrionidae; Papi, 1955a; Pardi, 1956), and mole crickets (Gryllotalpidae; Pardi, 1956). The groups successfully populating this environment do so in spite of the deleterious effects of variable and extreme physical conditions (Pearse et al., 1928; Moore et al., 1968). These include physical stresses posed by abrasion and removal of habitable substrate, or deposition of sediment, during storms. Physiological stresses, including insolation, osmotic imbalance, drying, anoxia, drowning, and poisoning by high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, occur more regularly as a result of heavy rain, periodic tidal inundation, and aerial exposure. Biological pressure is also considerable, since the beach inhabitants are subject to predation from the land by mammals (rodents and raccoons) and toads (Bufo), from the air by shorebirds, and from the water by fishes (sciaenids) and portunid crabs, especially Callinectes spp. (Herrnkind, 1968a,b, and unpublished observations). The environmental conditions are such that Pearse et al. (1928) commented, “A marine sandy beach seems like an inhospitable place for ... animals to become established.”

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Herrnkind, W.F. (1972). Orientation in Shore-Living Arthropods, Especially the Sand Fiddler Crab. In: Winn, H.E., Olla, B.L. (eds) Behavior of Marine Animals. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0907-9_1

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