REPERTÓRIO COMPORTAMENTAL DO CARANGUEJO ORNAMENTAL MARINHO Mithraculus forceps (CRUSTACEA, DECAPODA, MAJOIDEA) EM LABORATÓRIO

Abstract

The marine crab Mithraculus forceps has ecological and economic importance, being widely used in the aquarium market for food and control the proliferation of harmful algae. These organisms are collected in nature to supply their commercial demand and, despite many studies on the biology of the species, little is known about its behavior. In this way, the objective of the work was to describe the behavioral repertoire and of the occupation of burrows by this species in the captive, to show more information about its behavioral repertoire. Individuals were collected at Praia do Sepultura, Bombinhas (SC) and transported alive to the laboratory. After acclimatizing for seven days, individuals were filmed in aquariums and their behavioral repertoire was described and analyzed in relation to the occupation of burrow. Thirtythree individuals were used, totaling four hundred and sixty-eight hours of filmage analysis. Fifteen behavioral acts were recorded, separated into four categories: food, self-cleaning, displacement and immobility. Immobility exhibited high frequency, followed by feeding, self-cleaning and displacement. There was a greater occupation of the burrow as a refuge during the day, with greater activity of individuals during the night. Still, it was observed that there is no sharing of burrow between males, occurring only when kept in pairs of female or couples. Thus, the information gathered here is very important for several situations that currently occur.