Direitos de Autor (c) 2025 Scientia
Este trabalho encontra-se publicado com a Licença Internacional Creative Commons Atribuição-NãoComercial-CompartilhaIgual 4.0.
A population of Uca heteropleura was studied to examine the effects of lunar phases, male size, and reproductive behavior on courtship activity at El Agallito beach, Panama. Distribution patterns were analyzed with the Morisita and nearest neighbor indices, while surface activity was recorded by counting crabs three times during diurnal low tides. Courtship was measured by recording waves per minute from 386 focal males. In September 2024, the fiddler crab density was 5.71 crabs ? m2, with a male-biased sex ratio. In October, U. heteropleura density was 14.30 crabs ? m2, exhibiting a clumped distribution. Activity was higher during new moon compared to the quarter moon; although, crabs during the new moon were smaller. Waving frequency was higher during new moon, driven by the higher proportion of smaller males. Male size was not correlated with waving frequency. These results suggest that two male size classes are active at different times in the semilunar cycle. Influenced by female choice, larger males are favored earlier, while smaller males increase waving later, closer to the spring tide. Larger males may secure mates early through agonistic interactions and mate multiple times before females retreat for incubation. In contrast, smaller males may compensate for lower competitiveness in territory defense and mate guarding by increasing waving frequency to attract the last receptive females before egg incubation.
Este obra está bajo una licencia de Creative Commons Reconocimiento-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional.
