Hard-female mating in the brachyuran crab Thalamita prymna (Portunidae)

• DOI: 10.18353/crustacea.26.0_62
• Publication Date: 2017-05-14T18:14:50Z
• Authors: Christopher P. No...; Yoshiaki J. Hirano; Tatsuo Miyazaki
• Keywords: Portunidae

Intermolt (hard shelled) female Thalamita prymna, including ovigerous females, were observed to mate both in the field (N=2) and laboratory (N=13). In laboratory, intermolt males females showed characteristic stalking maneuvering behaviors prior copulation, with copulation lasting 34.5±2.4 minutes (mean±SD). During a 20 month survey, no guarding behavior or sperm plugs which are of portunid soft-female mating observed. A reared isolation maturity over 6 period from an immature instar successfully mated during stage produced fertile egg brood ten days after single mating. From these observations, hard-female is concluded be principal strategy T. prymna. Females congeneric species sima also contrasting 2 discussed.