Ontogenetic change of body color patterns in laboratory-raised juveniles of six terrestrial hermit crab species
Author
Hamasaki, Katsuyuki
Author
Tsuru, Takuma
Author
Sanda, Tetsuya
Author
Fujikawa, Shunsuke
Author
Dan, Shigeki
Author
Kitada, Shuichi
text
Zootaxa
2017
4226
4
521
545
journal article
37246
10.11646/zootaxa.4226.4.5
241fa9c6-84dc-4be4-9318-3c120ac52671
1175-5326
265135
3EE63479-7793-42FB-BDC6-7602068C347A
Coenobita cavipes
The shield of the first stage crab (
0.97–1.03 mm
SL) has faint brownish pigments (
Fig. 7
A, B); they develop as two longitudinal brown bands/patches on the middle portion and a dark brown band at the anterior lower portion of each side wall of the whitish/creamy shield in juveniles with an SL of>
1.2 mm
after one month of age (
Fig. 7
D–F, 8A–D, G). The ocular peduncle of the first stage crab has a brownish pigment area ventrally (
Fig. 7
C), and it gradually develops to a dark brown color after one month of age (
Fig. 8
E). The ocular acicles and the upper edge of the shield exhibit a brown color in juveniles with an SL of>
1.3 mm
after two months of age (
Fig. 7
F, 8A). The second and third pereiopods of the first stage crabs are reddish brown, excluding the distal and proximal parts of each segment; they appear to have whitish rings at the boundaries between segments (
Fig. 7
A, B). The palm of the left cheliped begins to develop brownish pigment areas on the upper and lower parts after one month of age (
Fig. 7
D, E); specifically, the pigment on the lower part develops as a distinct large brown patch, and the palm appears to have a longitudinal white stripe on the middle portion (
Fig. 7
F, 8C, D, F, G). The brownish bands also develop on the carpi and meri of the chelipeds, and the bands of the pereiopods become dark brown (
Fig. 7
D–F, 8C, D, F, G).