Title |
Crayfish bury their own exuviae: a newly discovered behavioral pattern in decapods
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Published in |
SpringerPlus, September 2016
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DOI | 10.1186/s40064-016-3343-6 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Miloš Buřič, Martin Fořt, Martin Bláha, Lukáš Veselý, Pavel Kozák, Antonín Kouba |
Abstract |
Invertebrates are a very diverse group of animals, showing a wide spectrum of life strategies and adaptations. They often exhibit very complex behavioural and social patterns. In crayfish, the largest freshwater invertebrates, we found a new behavioural pattern, burying their own exuviae after moulting. Such a pattern may be an as yet unrecognized type of hoarding or caching. The buried exuvia is exhumed after 2 or 3 days (when the crayfish body is no longer as soft) and consumed. This behaviour is probably self-protective (hiding the mark of a helpless prey), as well as having mineral storage reasons. Such complex behavioural patterns in invertebrates present new challenges for future research. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United Kingdom | 1 | 33% |
Canada | 1 | 33% |
Unknown | 1 | 33% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 3 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Czechia | 1 | 5% |
Unknown | 21 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Student > Ph. D. Student | 7 | 32% |
Researcher | 4 | 18% |
Student > Master | 3 | 14% |
Other | 2 | 9% |
Student > Bachelor | 1 | 5% |
Other | 2 | 9% |
Unknown | 3 | 14% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Environmental Science | 8 | 36% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 36% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 1 | 5% |
Chemistry | 1 | 5% |
Unknown | 4 | 18% |