INHIBITION OF FEEDING IN RESPONSE TO CRUSHED CONSPECIFICS BY THE PEBBLE CRAB PHILYRA-LAEVIS (BELL)

The smooth pebble crab Philyra laevis (Bell) an omnivorous scavenger found on sheltered intertidal sandflats in southern Australia, is often found feeding on the carcasses of other marine animals. Field experiments showed that significantly fewer P. laevis were attracted to crushed conspecifics than to other carcasses and this response significantly inhibited feeding on cockle, Katelysia scalarina Lamarck, and crab, Cyclograpsus audouinii Edwards, when mixed with crushed P. laevis. It is suggested the behaviour may have evolved in response to predation, parasitic infection from conspecifics, or damage to females by males whilst copulating.