Integrated system of shell use between land and marine hermit crabs The role of octopuses in the supply chain


Meeting Abstract

P3-126  Tuesday, Jan. 6 15:30  Integrated system of shell use between land and marine hermit crabs: The role of octopuses in the supply chain GILCHRIST, SL; New College of Florida gilchrist@ncf.edu http://ncf.edu

A seven year study of the shell acquisition and use by both land and marine hermit crabs at Cayos Cochinos, Honduras has revealed that shells from octopus middens are integral to the supply chain for the system. Two species (Octopus vulgaris and O. briareus) found in the area contribute to the resource pool. In two years, birds which forage in the intertidal were observed redistributing the shells away from the shoreline, making empty shells available over a broader area.

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