effects of thermal acclimation on the behavior, thermal tolerance, and respiratory metabolism in a crab inhabiting a wide range of thermal habitats (Cancer antennarius Stimpson, 1856, the red shore crab)

• Published in: Marine and freshwater behaviour and physiology Vol. 48; no. 2; pp. 89 - 101
• Main Authors: Padilla-Ramírez, Sergio, Díaz, Fernando, Re, Ana Denisse, Galindo-Sanchez, Clara Elizabeth, Sanchez-Lizarraga, Ana Lorena, Nuñez-Moreno, Luis Antonio, Moreno-Sierra, Dalia, Paschke, Kurt, Rosas, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 04-03-2015
• Subjects: acclimation; adults; Cancer antennarius; cold; crabs; critical limits; habitats; heat tolerance; oxygen consumption; preferred temperature; red rocky crab; Romaleon antennarium; temperate zones; temperature
• ISSN: 1029-0362; 1023-6244; 1029-0362
• DOI: 10.1080/10236244.2015.1019212

The preferred temperature of Cancer antennarius determined with the acute method was 15.2 °C, and with the gravitation method was 15.9 ± 1.9 in the day cycle and 13.2 ± 0.6 °C in the night cycle. The critical thermal maximum increased as the acclimation temperature was increased (p < 0.05); the thermal tolerance interval was 1.3, indicating that this species has a low tolerance indicative that it has evolved in highly stable environments. The acclimation response ratio for adults had an interval of 0.10–0.30. These values allow us to characterize this species as inhabiting cold and temperate regions. The oxygen consumption rates increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 6.57 to 9.92.0 mg O ₂ kg ⁻¹ h ⁻¹ wet weight as the acclimation temperature increased from 15 to 24 °C. The range of temperature coefficient (Q ₁₀) between 15 and 18 °C was the lower than 1.70 and corresponds with the intervals of preferred temperature.