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Issue: Vol. 4226 No. 4: 31 Jan. 2017
Type: Article
Published: 2017-01-30
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4226.4.5
Page range: 521–545
Abstract views: 90
PDF downloaded: 1

Ontogenetic change of body color patterns in laboratory-raised juveniles of six terrestrial hermit crab species

Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Research Centre for Marine Invertebrate, National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea, Fisheries
Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Konan, Minato, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
Crustacea Birgus latro coconut crab Coenobita land hermit crab coenobitid habitat

Abstract

We examined the ontogenetic change of body color patterns in the laboratory-raised juveniles of six terrestrial hermit crab species, including Birgus latro, Coenobita brevimanus, C. cavipes, C. purpureus, C. rugosus, and C. violascens, which commonly occur in the southern islands, Japan. The body color patterns of coenobitid juveniles were species-specific. The diagnostic features of body color patterns enable identification of juveniles of coenobitid crab species in the wild, thereby helping to understand the precise habitats of each coenobitid species.

 

 

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