Intraspecific relationships of the hermit crab Diogenes pugilator: predation and competition

• Published in: Hydrobiologia Vol. 439; no. 1-3; pp. 43 - 48
• Main Authors: Tirelli, Tina, Dappiano, Marco, Maiorana, Giuseppe, Pessani, Daniela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.11.2000; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Competition; Crustaceans; Diogenes pugilator; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Intraspecific relationships; Liocarcinus depurator; Pagurus anachoretus; Predators; Protozoa. Invertebrata; Predator prey relation; Laboratory study; Interspecific comparison; Crustacea; Marine environment; Host selection; Arthropoda; Body size; Interspecific competition; Shell(anatomy); Defense mechanism; Decapoda; Antipredator behavior; Predation; Invertebrata; Food
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1004197518769

The population of the hermit crab Diogenes pugilator is numerically quite substantial in the examined area, therefore it is analysed if the population was subject to any pressure by predators and by other species of hermit crabs living in that zone. It was found there is a potential pressure by predators which might influence it. Only Liocarcinus depurator is able to keep the population trend of D. pugilator under control. With regard to the relationships with the other species of hermit crab, D. pugilator dominates only over Pagurus anachoretus, while in the other cases, there was just competition for food.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]