Kellmeyer K, Salmon M
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, 33431, Boca Raton, FL, USA
J Exp Mar Biol Ecol. 2001 Jun 1;260(2):169-183. doi: 10.1016/s0022-0981(01)00259-3.
We compared the timing of larval release by Uca thayeri exposed to different tidal regimes. Crabs on Florida's East Coast experience semidiurnal tides, whereas crabs on the Florida's West Coast experience mixed tides.In both populations, hatching occurred shortly after high tide. On the East Coast, most crabs released their larvae between dusk and midnight, a few days before the maximum amplitude spring tides. On the West Coast, most crabs released their larvae during the afternoon tropic tides of greater amplitude. West Coast crabs may release during the day because ebbing tides at night are too weak for effective transport. Thus, at each location, hatching occurs when phase relationships between the ebbing tides, the light-dark cycle, and tidal amplitude are most favorable. Further study is required to determine whether females on each Coast show fixed responses to each tidal regime, or whether they can alter their hatching rhythms upon exposure to different tides.
我们比较了处于不同潮汐状态下的泰勒招潮蟹幼体释放时间。佛罗里达东海岸的螃蟹经历半日潮，而佛罗里达西海岸的螃蟹经历混合潮。在这两个种群中，孵化都发生在高潮过后不久。在东海岸，大多数螃蟹在黄昏至午夜之间释放幼体，就在最大潮差的大潮来临前几天。在西海岸，大多数螃蟹在下午较大潮差的热带潮期间释放幼体。西海岸的螃蟹可能在白天释放，因为夜间的退潮太弱，不利于有效运输。因此，在每个地点，当退潮、明暗周期和潮差之间的相位关系最有利时，孵化就会发生。需要进一步研究来确定每个海岸的雌性螃蟹对每种潮汐状态是否表现出固定的反应，或者它们在接触不同潮汐时是否能够改变孵化节奏。
