Induction of Metamorphosis in the Asian Shore Crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus: Effects of Biofilms and Substratum Texture

Since its initial invasion in the late 1980s, the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus has spread over 650 km along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Larvae of this species can live in the water column for over 3 weeks, which provides ample time for transport to new locations. Previous research on the settlement and metamorphosis of H. sanguineus showed that postlarvae (megalopae) accelerate metamorphosis in response to very specific water-soluble cues. However, the response to substratum cues appears to be much broader. The experiments presented here were designed to test the metamorphic response to biofilms and substratum texture. We found that nylon mesh with pore size of 100 and 1,000µm im had a greater effect on mean time to metamorphosis than 10 and 2,000 µm mesh. Results also showed a positive response to natural rock substrata, and this response was most pronounced when megalopae were exposed to substrata with rough texture. In addition, we found that a combination of a textured surface and a natural biofilm accelerated metamorphosis more than either an abiotic substratum or a smooth surface covered with natural biofilm. A final experiment compared the effect of textural cues to that of a water-soluble cue found in exudate from adult H sanguineus. Results indicated that both types of cue-induced metamorphosis to the same extent.