Abstract
The fresh water field crabOziotelphusa senex senex was adapted to artificial sea water. The changes in its feeding behaviour on adaptation to salinity were recorded. Adaptation to higher salinity reduced the daily voluntary food intake and increased the scope for work and level of excitability. Under experimental conditions fresh water field crabs, regardless of their nutritional state, showed preference to marine fish muscle as food and sea water adapted crabs prefer fresh water fish muscle. The food consumption was reduced to a third in the sea water adapted crabs and the oxygen consumption was reduced by about half. Since minimal respiratory metabolism was available in the salinity adapted crabs, it was suggested that such animals have a lower calorific demand associated with low appetite. It was discussed that the behaviour of crabs exposed to higher salinity was not a non-genetic adaptation. Probably, the modifications of gustatory cues occur due to salinity stress.
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Krishnamoorthy, R.V., Srihari, K. & Rahaman, H. Salinity effects on the food preference of the fresh water field crabOziotelphusa senex senex Fabricius 1798. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 84, 128–136 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03045531
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03045531