Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 49, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
School of Engineering, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
Sci Rep. 2022 Dec 12;12(1):21474. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-25969-7.
Characterising crustacean behaviour in response to conspecific chemical cues contributes to our evolving knowledge of the drivers of their social behaviour. There is particular interest in understanding the chemical and behavioural mechanisms contributing to cannibalism at ecdysis, as this behaviour substantially limits culture productivity of several commercially important crustaceans. Before investigating the role of chemoreception in cannibalism of moulting crustaceans, we must investigate its role in detecting moulting conspecifics. Here we use a two-current choice flume to observe juvenile tropical rock lobster (Panulirus ornatus) behavioural response to conspecific moulting cues and identifying attracted and avoidant behaviours correlating to moult stage and social relationship. Observed cue preferences show inter-moult juveniles are attracted to the moulting cues of lobsters to which they are socially naïve. In contrast, post-moult and inter-moult juveniles avoid the moulting cues of individuals whom they are socially familiar with. Average speed and total distance travelled by lobsters increases in response to conspecific moulting cues. This study demonstrates the suitability of a two-current choice flume for behavioural assays in P. ornatus and characterises clear behavioural patterns in juveniles exposed to conspecific moulting cues. This provides important framework for understanding the role of chemical communication in eliciting cannibalism.
描述甲壳动物对同种化学信号的行为反应有助于我们不断深入了解其社会行为的驱动因素。特别感兴趣的是了解蜕皮期同类相食行为的化学和行为机制，因为这种行为极大地限制了几种商业上重要的甲壳类动物的文化生产力。在研究化感作用在蜕皮期甲壳类动物的同类相食中的作用之前，我们必须研究它在检测蜕皮同种体中的作用。在这里，我们使用双电流选择水槽观察热带幼岩龙虾（Panulirus ornatus）对同种蜕皮线索的行为反应，并确定与蜕皮阶段和社会关系相关的吸引和回避行为。观察到的线索偏好表明，处于蜕皮间期的幼体被它们在社会上陌生的龙虾的蜕皮线索所吸引。相比之下，蜕皮后和蜕皮间期的幼体回避它们在社会上熟悉的个体的蜕皮线索。龙虾对同种蜕皮线索的反应速度和总行进距离增加。这项研究证明了双电流选择水槽在 P. ornatus 行为测定中的适用性，并描述了暴露于同种蜕皮线索的幼体中明显的行为模式。这为理解化学通讯在引发同类相食中的作用提供了重要的框架。
