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Shell selection behavior in five rare hermit crabsin the intertidal zones of Hormoz Island
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Nabiallah Kheirabadi   , Jafar Seyfabadi , Fereidoon Owfi , Alireza Mehvari |
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Abstract: (12267 Views) |
| This study was conducted to determine shell selection behavior in five rare hermit crabs in 6 selected stations located in the intertidal zones of Hormuz Island. Seasonal sampling was conducted during the summer 2010 to spring 2011. The samples of hermit crabs from the stations were separately fixed in 70% ethanol and were transported to the laboratory. Hermit crabs were identified with valid key identification at the species level. This identification was verified by comparing the samples with the metatypical hermit crabs samples in the Zoological Museum, University of Tehran. Shells occupied by each of the hermit crabs were identified at the species level. Comparing the samples with the metatypical shells samples in the Conchology Museum, Tokyo University of Science, verified the species. According to our results five hermit crab species (Diogenes planimanus, D. tirmiziae, Coenobitascaevola, Dardanustinctor and Clibanariuslongitarsus) with low abundance were identified in Hormuz Island. These hermit crab species respectively occupied 5, 4, 3, 4, and 2 species of gastropods for protecting their abdominal section. In general, the shell selection behaviors showed that these hermit crabs use the shells of 11 gastropod species and Thais lacera with 19 occurrences (35.8% of all the shells) was the highest frequent occupied shell. Also, the results showed that station 1 (coast of Hormuz Marine Research Center) had the highest abundance of the hermit crabs. |
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| Keywords: Hermit crab, Shell selection behavior, Intertidal zone, Hormoz Island. |
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Full-Text [PDF 718 kb]
(2447 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2014/01/21 | Accepted: 2014/01/21 | Published: 2014/01/21
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