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Intersexuality in the western Atlantic hermit crab Isocheles sawayai (Anomura: Diogenidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

M.Z. Fantucci ,
R. Biagi  and
F.L. Mantelatto
M.Z. Fantucci
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Bioecology and Crustacean Systematics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Postgraduate Program in Comparative Biology, University of São Paulo(USP)—Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
R. Biagi
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Bioecology and Crustacean Systematics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Postgraduate Program in Comparative Biology, University of São Paulo(USP)—Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
F.L. Mantelatto*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Bioecology and Crustacean Systematics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Postgraduate Program in Comparative Biology, University of São Paulo(USP)—Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, CEP 14040-901, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: F.L. Mantelatto, Laboratory and Crustacean Systematics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP), Postgraduate Program in Comparative Biology, University of São Paulo, (USP)—Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, CEP 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SPBrazil email: flmantel@usp.br
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Abstract

We register the occurrence of Isocheles sawayai intersex individuals and analyse their external primary and secondary sexual characters. Specimens were collected monthly from July 2001 to June 2003 from the benthic sand habitat in the Caraguatatuba region of the northern littoral coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The sex of individuals was checked based on the position of gonopores and pleopod morphology was also analysed. A total of 374 hermit crabs (297 males, 67 females, and 10 intersexes) was captured and examined. All intersex individuals bore a gonopore on the basis of each coxae of the fifth pereopods as well as male pleopods, associated with gonopores (only one or a pair) on the coxae of the third pereopods. A greater degree of similarity among the analysed sexual characters was observed between males and intersex individuals than between intersexes and females. The results obtained suggest that, at least in this population, intersex individuals are functional males and that hermaphroditism does not play a significant role in the natural history of I. sawayai.

Keywords

CrustaceaDecapodaintersexgonoporesmorphologyreproduction
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 1 , January 2008 , e68
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2007

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References

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