(full paper is archived in the Miller Library)
Title: The distribution and shell utilization of the female hermit crab Pagurus granosimanus and P. samuelis
Student Author(s): Martinez, Edwardo
Faculty Advisor(s): Watanabe, Jim
Pages: 31
Location: Final Papers Biology 175H
Date: June 1994
Abstract: Two intertidal hermit crabs, Pagurus granosimanus and P. samuelis, were studied at the Hopkins Marine Station. The two species demonstrate definite zonation along the intertidal, but intraspecies differences are not known. Past studies have shown that shell characterisitics such as damage, fouling, and adequacy have varying influences on the reproductive success of females. Ovigerous females, non-ovigerous females, and males were examined at three different locations. The study of the distribution and the shell utilization of each of the hermit crabs revealed that males were more predominant than females. Non-ovigerous females were more common than males. Shell fouling had no effect on the shel utilizatrion by ovigerous, non-ovigerous and male herit crabs. Ovigerous females were in shells with less damage. Shell adequacy assignements showed that females were more likely to be ovigerous if they occupied smaller shells than the preferred size calculated from a shell adequacy index. Clutch size was minimally correlated to other measurements.