The fiddler crab Uca mjoebergi uses colour vision in mate choice.
Although the role of colour in mate choice is well known, few tests of colour vision have been based on mating behaviour. Females of the fiddler crab Uca mjoebergi have recently been shown to use claw coloration to recognize conspecific males. In this study I demonstrate that the females use colour vision for this task; preferentially approaching yellow claws over grey claws regardless of their intensity while failing to discriminate between yellow claws differing in intensity. This is one of only a handful of studies confirming the involvement of colour vision in mate choice and the first conclusive evidence in fiddler crabs.
Detto
Tanya
T
Centre for Visual Sciences, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, PO Box 475, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia. tanya.detto@hotmail.com
D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D052586:Mating Preference, Animal