Journalartikel

Jahr der Veröffentlichung: 1990

Seiten: 87-98

Zeitschrift: A Journal of Comparative Zoology

Bandnummer: 224

Heftnummer: 1-2

ISSN: 0044-5231

Verlag: Elsevier

Abstract: 
The rock boring activity of Alpheus schmitti Chace, 1972 has been discovered but recently (WERDING in print). In the present paper, feeding behaviour and the mechanism of rock boring are described basing on aquarium observations. A. schmitti lives in pairs, enclosed in self made housings in coral rock. The only connection with the surrounding water is by a number of small pore-like perforations. The shrimps are omnivorous and obtain their food from outside the domicile. Food particles are caught by the chelae of the second pereiopods which are streched outside. Excavation takes place by the activity of the larger chela of the first pereiopods, the typical snapping-claw of the family Alpheidae. For that purpose the fixed finger is held against the coral surface while forgeing the hammer-Like dactyl on the face of the coral skeleton, splittering off fragments of it. Basing on new observations the construction and function of the alpheid claw are discussed. A. schmitti is compared to some degree with Thunor simus (Guerin-Meneville, 1856) another rock boring Alpheid from the Caribbean Sea.

Harvard-Zitierstil: WERDING, B. (1990) OBSERVATIONS ON 2 ROCK BORING PISTOL-SHRIMPS FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA, ALPHEUS-SCHMITTI CHACE AND THUNOR-SIMUS (GUERIN-MENEVILLE) (CRUSTACEA, ALPHEIDAE), A Journal of Comparative Zoology, 224(1-2), pp. 87-98

APA-Zitierstil: WERDING, B. (1990). OBSERVATIONS ON 2 ROCK BORING PISTOL-SHRIMPS FROM THE CARIBBEAN SEA, ALPHEUS-SCHMITTI CHACE AND THUNOR-SIMUS (GUERIN-MENEVILLE) (CRUSTACEA, ALPHEIDAE). A Journal of Comparative Zoology. 224(1-2), 87-98.