We observed the behavior of individual crabs in situ. In each habitat, we collected groups of five adult A. pisonii by hand and determined the sex and carapace width (to the nearest 0.1mm) of each individual. The groups of crabs were made up of the first five individuals that we encountered and could capture and were drawn from all accessible habitat. We then painted the carapace of each crab an identifying color with nail polish to aid in identification and visibility. Following a short period of observation to ensure normal behavior, we released the crabs onto a single tree within 10 m of the collection tree of all individuals (mangrove), onto separate S. alterniflora stalks within 10 m of the area of collection (saltmarsh), or onto the same piling (dock) of the dock where all individuals were captured. Release in the saltmarsh occurred during the rising tide when the crabs had no access to the sediment.
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We observed crabs in the mangrove and saltmarsh habitats from the time they lost access to the sediment until the receding tide once again allowed access to the sediment (~6h depending on site and day). In contrast, we observed crabs on docks from three hours before slack high tide until three hours after slack high tide. The total time of observation, in minutes, was recorded. We watched crabs from a distance using binoculars and monitored the individuals continuously throughout the observational period. The every five minutes, or at every change in location, the location of the crab in sun or shade was noted.
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The proportions of time crabs were observed to spend in the sun, shade, and\u00a0 not visible were calculated as the total minutes the crab spent in each location divided by the total duration of the observational period in minutes.
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Locations:
\nFlorida East Coast:
\nRound Island Park: 27o33'33\"N 80o19'53\"W
\nPepper Park: 27o29'42'N 80o18'12\"W
\nBear Point: 27o25'48\"N 80o17'10\"W
\nNorth Causeway Park: 27o28'28\"N 80o19'12\"W
\nOslo Road: 27o35'14\"N 80o21'55\"W
\nAnastasia State Park: 29o52'40\"N 81o16'32\"W
\nGuana-Tolomato-Matanzas NERR: 30o0'49\"N 81o20'42\"W
\nPalm Valley/Nocatee Canoe Launch: 30o07'57\"N 81o23'08\"W
\nSt. Augustine Yacht Club: 29o53'09\"N 81o17'08\"W\u00a0
This dataset includes the proportion of time the mangrove crab, A. pisonii, spent in sun and shade in\u00a0a mangrove, under a dock, and in a nearby salt marsh for a study of Aratus pisonii behavior. These data are presented in Cannizzo et al, (2018) Ecol & Evol.
BCO-DMO Processing
\n- added column for ISO_Date, joining year and month-day columns; removed display of Date (d-Mon) column
\n- \u200breduced decimal precision of Sun, Shade, Invisible proportions from 9 to 2