Meeting Abstract

P3.45  Saturday, Jan. 5  Forms of sexual abnormalities in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator ZOU, E.; Nicholls State University em.zou@nicholls.edu

Fiddler crabs, Uca pugilator, exhibit striking sexual dimorphism with males characterized by a pair of extremely asymmetrical chelipeds and a narrow abdomen and females having two small, symmetrical claws and a wide abdomen that covers the entire ventral side of the cephalothorax. Four different forms of sexual aberrations have recently been discovered among the crabs purchased from the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories, Inc. of Panacea, Florida. In one form, the sexually abnormal crabs had a wide abdomen, female-type pleopods and a pair of asymmetrical chelipeds. In another form, the specimen possessed a pair of symmetrical, enlarged claws and a female abdomen, along with the female-type pleopods. A specimen with reduced asymmetry in chelipeds, an intermediate abdomen, male-type pleopods (gonopods) and female-type apertures was discovered. Representing the fourth form is a specimen possessing a pair of uneven claws with reduced asymmetry, female gonopores and an intermediate abdomen with both male- and female-type pleopods. Whether an environmental etiology underlies these sexual anomalies is unknown.