Publications [#260268] of Daniel Rittschof

Papers Published

1. Rittschof, D; Hazlett, BA, Behavioural responses of hermit crabs to shell cues, predator haemolymph and body odour, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, vol. 77 no. 3 (January, 1997), pp. 737-751, Cambridge University Press (CUP) [doi]
   (last updated on 2026/01/22)

   Abstract:
   This study tested the hypothesis that predator odours alter behavioural responses of hermit crabs to other chemical stimuli. Stimuli that cause alarm and shell-related behaviour (hermit crab haemolymph and two gastropod flesh extracts), and stimuli that did not cause shell-related behaviour (sea-water and predator haemolymph) were used. Individual hermit crab responses to stimuli were observed in ambient sea-water and predator odour. In the absence of predator odour, hermit crab haemolymph and gastropod flesh extracts stimulated shell grasping behaviour. Locomotion was the major response to sea-water and stone crab haemolymph. Crabs behaved consistently when repeatedly exposed to a particular stimulus. In general, addition of predator odour to mixtures, resulted in decreased shell grasping and increased locomotion. Shell fit was a poor predictor of behaviour for the size range of crabs tested. Hermit crabs respond to, and discriminate, a variety of complex odour mixtures.