Abstract

We investigated the burrow characteristics (shapes, diameters, total and horizontal lengths, total depths, ground and mid angles, and volumes) of 39 large-sized Tubuca rosea (Tweedie, 1937) females (22 ovigerous; 17 non-ovigerous). We observed I- and J-shaped burrows in both ovigerous and non-ovigerous females, with higher numbers of J-shaped burrows in ovigerous females. However, in non-ovigerous females, I- and J-shaped burrow numbers were not different. Other burrow characteristics had higher values in ovigerous females than in non-ovigerous females. In ovigerous females, I- and J-shaped burrows were not different in diameters, total lengths, total depths, or volumes, but horizontal lengths, ground angles and mid angles were higher in J-shaped burrows. In non-ovigerous females, burrow characteristics (except diameter) were higher in J-shaped burrows than in I-shaped burrows. Our results show for the first time that burrow characteristics differ based on the reproductive status of female fiddler crabs in T. rosea.