Meeting Abstract
Anostracans have some of the most elaborate mating behaviour among crustaceans. Specific mating rituals have been studied in detail elsewhere. I examined the behaviours of several anostracan species as they were specifically seeking potential mates. Males and females were reared from egg onward in isolation. Males demonstrated specific seeking behaviours, cruising in the lower water column around salient objects. Receptive females hovered around salient objects high in the water column, allowing males to approach from beneath. Unreceptive females and males never exposed to females tended to stay low in the water column and moved around little. However, these same isolated males immediately began searching behaviours when water from female cultures was added, demonstrating that sex pheromones are involved. Finally, the first record of anostracan male: male aggressive interaction is presented.
