Polymorphism in the chelae of mature males of the land crabs Johngarthia lagostoma and Epigrapsus spp.

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  • Richard G. Hartnoll
    1School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, U.K.
  • Nicola Weber
    2Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K.
  • Sam B. Weber
    2Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, U.K.
  • Hung-Chang Liu
    4No. 53, Chengong 11th Street, Jhubei City, Hsinchu County, Taiwan 302

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Description

<jats:p>The growth of the chelae of mature males was examined in three gecarcinid land crabs — <jats:italic>Johngarthia lagostoma</jats:italic> on Ascension Island, <jats:italic>Epigrapsus notatus</jats:italic> on Taiwan, and <jats:italic>E. politus</jats:italic> on Moorea. Chelar dimorphism was found in each species, with a mixture of homochelous and heterochelous males. In <jats:italic>J. lagostoma</jats:italic> there was progressive polymorphism, with the heterochelous condition appearing only in a proportion of the larger mature males. The situation in <jats:italic>Epigrapsus</jats:italic> was less clear. The proportion of heterochelous males increased in the larger mature size classes, but progressive polymorphism is yet to be confirmed.</jats:p>

Journal

  • Crustaceana

    Crustaceana 90 (7-10), 931-951, 2017

    Walter de Gruyter GmbH

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