Articles tagged with Crustaceans
Climate change is causing Antarctic sea life to face an invasion of predatory king crabs and exotic species, potentially devastating the region's unique ecosystem. Rising temperatures are allowing these species to expand their habitats, disrupting delicate ecological relationships and putting the world's last truly wild places at risk.
This issue of BioScience explores strategies for managing biological resources, including optimizing forest responses to climate change. The journal also examines the ecological roles of mesocarnivores and the impact of mercury contamination on sport fish in the Northeastern United States.
Researchers are fitting lobsters with transmitters to track their migrations year-round, providing more accurate information about juvenile lobster sources and interactions between populations. The study aims to improve management of the economically valuable fishery, allowing lobsters to remain a staple in New England cuisine.
A new study from Texas Christian and Louisiana State universities finds that shrimp trawling operations in the Gulf of Mexico are linked to higher levels of toxic mercury in juvenile red snappers. The research demonstrates a clear relationship between mercury concentrations and coastal areas where commercial shrimp trawling occurs.
A comprehensive study on Puerto Rico's freshwater fish species has been conducted by NC State researchers, identifying key features that support native populations and distinguishing those susceptible to invasion. The study aims to inform conservation efforts and management decisions for the island's fisheries.
Fiddler crabs grow weak and puny 'cheap' claws that deceive rivals about their fighting ability, highlighting the widespread nature of dishonesty in animal communication. The study sheds light on how animals like fiddler crabs bluff their way to survival and reproductive success.
A new Cornell University study found that climate change is driving rapid ecosystem shifts in the North Atlantic, with cold Arctic waters flowing south and altering species distributions and food chains. The study reports counterintuitive findings, including northern species moving southward as temperatures rise.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have successfully grown blue crabs in freshwater ponds, showing that they can thrive in these environments. The method has the potential to provide a sustainable source of crabs while reducing pressure on coastal populations.
Genetic mutations and lower growth rates found among crustaceans in Parramatta River due to heavy metal exposure, suggesting permanent negative impacts on species fertility and survival. Researchers used a sensitive test organism, Melita plumulosa, to assess toxicity of marine sediments.
A 50-year analysis of Narragansett Bay fish-trawl surveys reveals a shift from vertebrate to invertebrate species and from benthic to pelagic species composition. The study attributes this change primarily to global warming, with smaller, warm-water species increasing while larger, cool-water species declining.
The study reveals that no more than 4% of energy loss is caused by gravitational waves, disproving a key hypothesis. The analysis provides valuable information about the pulsar and its structure, shedding light on the role of gravitational waves in its dynamics.
Researchers with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory Scientific Collaboration have ruled out emission of gravitational waves as a cause for the Crab Pulsar's spin braking. The study found that no more than 4% of the pulsar's energy loss is attributed to gravitational wave emission.
Researchers used LIGO data to analyze the Crab Pulsar, detecting signals that reveal no more than 4% of energy loss is due to gravitational radiation. The findings suggest other mechanisms, such as electromagnetic radiation and high-velocity particles, are responsible for the pulsar's slowing spin.
The US is importing more food from developing nations, putting consumers at risk of foodborne diseases due to varying sanitary standards. Contaminants like Salmonella are commonly found in imported seafood and produce.
Researchers report transformation of y-larvae into a previously unseen parasitic form, challenging current understanding of crustacean taxonomy. The discovery highlights the potential ecological importance of adults in this enigmatic group.
Researchers found that mantis shrimp can see colours from ultraviolet to infrared and measure four linear and two circular polarisations, enabling them to detect subtle changes in light. This unique talent presents a new concept of polarisation vision, allowing shrimps to navigate and find food more effectively.
Researchers successfully relocated the elusive Drosophila endobranchia species on land-crabs in Grand Cayman, shedding light on its evolutionary history. The study revealed that these flies are closely related to other Caribbean crab flies, suggesting a unique adaptation to their unusual breeding habitat.
Researchers have discovered that mantis shrimp can perceive circular polarized light, a previously unknown visual system. This ability is thought to be used for sex-specific communication and may provide a private channel of communication unavailable to predators and competitors.
A study published in PNAS reveals that evolution drives animals to become more complex, with most branches evolving in the same direction. The researchers found that complexity increases as organisms adapt to their environments and compete for resources.
A new approach to managing marine resources in Puget Sound uses ecosystem services as a framework, including the value of Dungeness crab and eelgrass. This research aims to inform management decisions that balance economic and environmental concerns.
Researchers are exploring ways to manage fisheries in Southern California, with a focus on sustainability and community involvement. The collaboration aims to develop lower-cost, effective management strategies that involve all stakeholders.
Research suggests that neurons in the frontal lobe encode economic value in a 'menu invariant' way, enabling transitive preferences. This finding provides a key insight into the neural circuits underlying decision-making and may shed light on choice deficits associated with frontal lobe damage.
A 390-million-year-old sea scorpion fossil found in Germany shows that ancient arthropods like spiders and insects were much larger than their modern-day equivalents. The fossil claw is over a foot-and-a-half long, indicating these creatures were among the largest extinct arthropods.
Scientists have discovered a giant fossilized claw from an ancient sea scorpion, indicating that the creature was approximately 2.5 meters long and much taller than the average man. This finding suggests that spiders, insects, crabs, and similar creatures were larger in the past than previously thought.
A new study found that agricultural expansion is the major factor behind mangrove deforestation in tsunami-impacted regions, with aquaculture and urban development contributing less significantly. The study used Landsat satellite images to quantify the rates and causes of change between 1975 and 2005.
Researchers have discovered a new primitive crab species, Cycloprosopon dobrogea, which existed over 150 million years ago during the Jurassic period. The discovery provides insights into the evolutionary history of arthropods, including crabs, and their role in shaping biodiversity.
In the Wadden Sea, shore crabs use a takeaway meal strategy to avoid competition for food. They first attempt to catch prey at the richest food spot but then move it to a nearby poor spot with fewer competitors.
Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have discovered an established population of invasive Harris mud crabs in the Panama Canal's Miraflores Third Lock Lake. The crustaceans, native to North America, are known to cause environmental and economic harm, fouling pipes and preying on fish in gill nets.
Researchers in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics have identified key proteins involved in schistosomiasis, a tropical disease affecting up to 200 million people. The study also reveals the structural proteome of a lethal shrimp viral disease and unique proteins allowing algae to thrive in salty environments.
The invasive green porcelain crab is slowing the growth of small oysters, but not mussels, and may be competing with native crabs for food. The long-term effects on oyster reefs are uncertain due to the crab's rapid reproduction and potential predator shift.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered a chemical compound, 2-aminoethyl phosphonate, in male blue crabs that is not present in females. The presence of this metabolite has significant implications for understanding animal development and biochemistry.
In a study of fiddler crabs, researchers found that females prefer males with hood-like sand castles as these signals help them avoid predators while sequentially visiting and assessing potential mates. This new understanding highlights how the ecology of choosing a mate can shape sexual communication.
Brandeis University professors Eve Marder and Chris Miller have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of their outstanding research achievements. This honor brings Brandeis' total NAS membership to ten, reflecting the university's strong commitment to scientific excellence.
Researchers found that burrowing behavior, escape response, and population abundance of salt marsh fiddler crabs are significantly altered when exposed to leftover oil compounds from a 1969 spill. The study provides clear evidence for the long-term impacts of oil pollution on marine ecosystems.
Research reveals that sustainable aquaculture is essential to meet growing demand for healthy seafood, with advancements in feed efficiency and marine environments crucial to its growth. The industry has enormous potential to increase production and provide affordable and healthy seafood options.
By analyzing lobster fishing operations in American and Canadian waters, researchers found that reducing fishing efforts can substantially decrease entanglement risks. Implementing a 6-month lobster fishing season and decreasing trap numbers could greatly benefit the critically endangered species while providing benefits to fishermen.
Researchers using Arecibo Telescope discovered never-before-seen radio emission spectra from the Crab Nebula pulsar. The findings suggest an unknown magnetic pole, contradicting existing theories and challenging our understanding of pulsars.
A new study suggests microbes produce repugnant chemicals to compete with larger animals for valuable food resources like decaying meat and seeds. Microbes can outcompete other organisms if they can produce chemicals that make these resources unpalatable to higher species.
Tiny Pacific 'housekeeper' crabs play a crucial role in preventing coral death by removing sediment from coral surfaces. Without these crabs, corals experience slower growth rates, increased tissue bleaching, and higher sediment loads.
Researchers have found a compound that can act like a bed of nails, fending off microbes from colonizing wound dressings and other implantable devices. Coating these devices with the compound could help prevent thousands of bacterial and yeast infections annually.
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire found that blue mussels can recognize and respond to two invasive crab species within 15 years. In southern New England, mussels thickened their shells in response to Hemigrapsus sanguineus, while northern populations showed a delayed response.
Researchers have found that velvet worms, ancient creatures thought to be similar to ancestors of modern arthropods, share brain structures more closely related to those of spiders and scorpions than initially thought. This discovery sheds new light on the evolutionary origin of these fascinating animals.
A new study from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found that relaxing the minimum legal size requirement for lobsters and reducing trap numbers can improve sustainability. This approach would also increase lobstermen's incomes and benefit regional economies.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has released a free educational pamphlet warning of the dangers of dumping seafood into the wild. Invasive species can travel through ship ballast water, aquaculture facilities, and consumer releases, causing economic and environmental damage.
Researchers found that left-handed snails are less frequently attacked by right-handed crabs, leading to increased survival rates. This advantage is likely due to the specialized tooth on the crab's right claw, which is designed for opening shells, making it harder for the crab to access the left-handed snail's shell.
Evolutionary biologist Vermeij suggests that certain traits, such as photosynthesis and human language, are so advantageous that they would reappear in different forms. Many unique innovations are ancient, while repeated ones are known from few specimens due to species extinction.
The red knot's dependence on horseshoe crab eggs for survival is a major concern for wildlife management officials. Researchers have found that the number of horseshoe crab eggs is the most important factor determining the use of beaches by red knots.
Researchers predict widespread invasion of UK estuaries by the invasive Chinese mitten crab, which could devastate native species and ecosystems. A nationwide monitoring system is recommended to control the population before it's too late.
Scientists have discovered male water fleas in a lab, revealing that pesticides can induce sex change and affect populations of fish and other organisms. The finding highlights the importance of considering non-target species in environmental monitoring and management.
Marder's research on central pattern generators has led to breakthroughs in understanding neural circuit stability and its implications for diseases like mental illness, epilepsy, and chronic pain. Her work with crustaceans has expanded the field of neuroscience beyond mammals.
Researchers use microfossils to analyze coastal sediment cores, revealing evidence of less frequent major storms in recent centuries. However, results may be affected by other environmental factors, such as rising sea levels.
Researchers discovered that cattle grazing can reduce wetland flooding by an average of 50 days per year. Climate change could exacerbate this impact, but conservationists may find grazing presents opportunities to adapt to changing conditions and mitigate climate variability.
A five-year study by University of Utah biologists reveals that giant whales split into three species around 5-6 million years ago, and all three were equally abundant before whaling reduced their numbers. The study used the genetics of whale lice to track the genetic evolution of whales.
Female California fiddler crabs check out 100 or more male crab candidates and burrows before choosing a mate due to the importance of burrow size for offspring survival. This picky behavior helps females select mates with suitable burrows that allow larvae to hatch at the safest time.
Researchers at Virginia Tech are conducting a study on high-pressure processing to inactivate Norwalk virus, with the goal of making consumers safer from foodborne illnesses. The study will evaluate various high-pressure processing schedules and compare results obtained from human subjects to those obtained using mice.
Researchers discovered that yellow-beaked cleaner shrimp perform a specialized dance, the 'rocking dance,' to attract hungry client fish. This signaling allows both species to benefit from non-predatory cleaning interactions.
A new generation of smart gear has been developed to minimize the accidental deaths of hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and juvenile fish. The innovations include weighted, deep-set lines that reduce encounters with sea turtles while increasing tuna catch, as well as avoidable, detectable gear for marine mammals.
Aplysia sea slugs release an inky secretion that activates feeding pathways in spiny lobsters, stimulating grooming and avoidance behaviors. This novel defense strategy, called phagomimicry, enhances the effectiveness of the slug's escape by distracting the lobster with misleading cues.
Scientists have made a serendipitous discovery that lobster larvae are settling on open water fish cages in Puerto Rico by the thousands. This finding has led to a new program aimed at making large-scale spiny lobster culture commercially feasible, which could address limited availability and high value of the species.
Land-living crabs, descended from marine ancestors, have developed a sophisticated sense of smell similar to insects. The robber crab's olfactory system is highly sensitive and has adopted strategies used by insects to navigate its air-filled terrestrial environment.