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Vol. 51 No. 5, 2012
ABurrows with Chimneys of the Fiddler Crab Uca thayeri: Construction, Occurrence,
and Functio
João
B. L. Gusmão-Junior1, Glauco B. O. Machado2, and
Tânia M. Costa3,*
1Centro
de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Pontal do Paraná,
Paraná 83255-971, Brazil. E-mail:gusmao.jb@gmail.com
2Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade
Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil.
E-mail:gbomachado@gmail.com
3Campus Experimental do Litoral Paulista, Universidade
Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo 11330-900, Brazil
João B. L. Gusmão-Junior, Glauco B. O. Machado, and
Tânia M. Costa (2012)
Building of soil structures is observed in a variety of
semi-terrestrial crustaceans. In fiddler crabs (Genus Uca), this behavior occurs in
several species, some of which build structures that are largely
ornamental and others construct barriers that are apparently for
defense. Although there is a relative abundance of studies on
this type of behavior in Uca,
the relationship between the social context and the occurrence of these
structures remains poorly studied. Thus, this study attempted to
analyze in detail the construction, occurrence, and function of mud
chimneys built by the fiddler crab Uca
thayeri; these
sedimentary structures are possibly associated with burrow
defense. Field investigations and laboratory experiments were
conducted. Both sexes were often found in burrows with chimneys;
however, laboratory experiments showed that only females actively built
and maintained chimneys, with some difference in the morphology of
these structures between sexes. The social context had little
influence on the construction of chimneys, which showed that the
stimulus for constructing chimneys could be endogenous. Our
results suggest that burrows with chimney of U. thayeri may have functions other
than defense, and may act in regulating the internal conditions of the
burrow, as observed in other crustaceans with such building behavior.
Key words: Construction behavior, Biogenic
structure, Crab behavior.
*Correspondence: Tel: 55-13-35697100. Fax:
55-13-35697106. E-mail:costatm@clp.unesp.br
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