23 Kas 2024 Cumartesi
On activity pattern of the mudflat inhabiting crab Dotilla blanfordi Alcock, 1900 in Gulf of Khambhat, Gujarat
Abstract :In animals, male and female individuals show variation in time allocation for different activities according to their habits and habitat. In the present study, the effect of gender and size on time allocation patterns for different activities in mudflats inhabiting crab Dotilla blanfordi (Alcock, 1900) has been studied. The present study was carried out at Dandi beach located in Navsari district of Gujarat state from June 2019 to February 2020. Crabs were selected randomly and their activities were video recorded for 5 minutes. After that, the crabs were captured and their size (Carapace width: CW) and sex were recorded. All the videos were watched and different activities were identified like: mud balling (feeding), standing, fighting, in burrow, walking, grooming and burrowing. Out of all the activities recorded, maximum time was allocated for mud balling (feeding) (62.68 %) while the least time was allocated for grooming (0.37 %). Females spent more time on feeding (73.61 %) as compared to males (54.45 %). Juvenile individuals (< 3.5 mm CW) were spending more time in burrows and burrowing as compared to adult individuals while adults were observed spending more time in mud balling, standing fighting, walking and grooming. The present study showed that the time allocation pattern varies significantly according to the gender and size of an individual. Few other factors like predation risk, reproductive maturation, breeding and non-breeding season and energy conservation also affect time allocation patterns for different activities which need to be investigated.
Behaviour, phenology, mud balling, time allocation, activity budget