Abstract: In order to study the effects of chelicerae autotomy and regeneration on the feeding and aggressive behaviour of swimming crab (Portunustrituberculatus), the method of high-temperature stress chelicerae autotomy was established in swimming crab with body weight of (18.34±2.56)g (phase C in molt). The body weight, total carapace length, total carapace width, body height, feeding rate, weight growth rate, morphological indicators, and growth rate were measured in swimming crab (no cheliped autotomy, control group), one cheliped autotomy group and two chelipeds autotomy group after chelicerae autotomy and regeneration. The changes in feeding selectivity, feeding ability and aggressive behaviour were observed in the swimming crab before and after autotomy and regeneration by EthoVision XT behavioural tracking system. The results showed that the swimming crab had slight decrease in growth rate of body weight in the cheliped autotomy groups compared to the control group (P>0.05), and significant decrease in the growth rate of total carapace width, total carapace length and body height in the two chelipeds autotomy group (P<0.05). There was slight decrease in feeding rate of clam meat and trash fish in the autotomy groups compared with that in the control group, with similar feeding rate among the regeneration groups, without any significantly different (P>0.05). Both two cheliped autotomy groups and two cheliped regeneration groups was not able to open Musculussenhousei, with significant difference from the control group (P<0.05). The swimming crab with amputated and regenerated chelicerae changed the feeding preference significantly compared with the swimming crab in the control group (P<0.05). The fight delay time was shown to be decreased, in steady of the fight duration, fight moving speed, fight moving distance and fight intensity tended to be increased in cheliped autotomy group, as the number of chelicerae autotomy increased, with the maximal significant difference in fight duration and fight intensity in cheliped autotomy group compared with that in the control group (P<0.05). It was found that cheliped autotomy led to reduce the growth rate of body weight and morphological indicators in the juvenile swimming crab. The food ingestion rate on clam meat and trash fish and aggressive ability were decreased after cheliped autotomy in the juvenile swimming crab, without effect of the regeneration of the chelicerae on the feeding rate of clam meat and trash fish.
陶丹丹, 刘磊, 付媛媛, 王思翔, 黄辛联, 翟伟, 徐元凯, 宋微微, 王春琳. 三疣梭子蟹螯足断肢及再生对摄食和攻击行为的影响[J]. 大连海洋大学学报, 2023, 38(5): 795-803.
TAO Dandan, LIU Lei, FU Yuanyuan, WANG Sixiang, HUANG Xinlian, ZHAI Wei, XU Yuankai, SONG Weiwei, WANG Chunlin. Effects of chelicerae autotomy and regeneration on feeding and aggressive behaviors of swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus). Journal of Dalian Ocean University, 2023, 38(5): 795-803.
2023, Vol. 38 
