title: Community shelter use in response to two benthic decapod predators in the Long Island Sound.
abstract: To investigate community shelter effects of two invasive decapod species, Hemigrapsus sanguineus and Carcinus maenas, in the Long Island Sound (LIS), we deployed artificial shelters in the intertidal and immediate subtidal zones. These consisted of five groups during the summer: a control, a resident H. sanguineus male or female group, and a resident C. maenas male or female group. We quantified utilization of the shelters at 24 h by counting crabs and fish present. We found significant avoidance of H. sanguineus in the field by benthic hermit crabs (Pagurus spp.) and significant avoidance of C. maenas by the seaboard goby (Gobiosoma ginsburgi). The grubby (Myoxocephalus aenaeus) avoided neither treatment, probably since it tends to be a predator of invertebrates. H. sanguineus avoided C. maenas treatments, whereas C. maenas did not avoid any treatment. Seasonal deployments in the subtidal indicated cohabitation of a number of benthic species in the LIS, with peak shelter use corresponding with increased predation and likely reproductive activity in spring and summer for green crabs (C. maenas), hermit crabs (Pagurus spp.), seaboard gobies (G. ginsburgi), and grubbies (Myoxocephalus aenaeus).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, United States; Division of Science, Mathematics, and Health Professions, Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
authors.forename: David M
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6253-7255
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut , Storrs, Connecticut , United States.
authors.forename: Dugan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reagan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut , Storrs, Connecticut , United States.
authors.forename: Joseph F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Crivello
keywords: Carcinus maenas; Community effects; Crustacean; Hemigrapsus sanguineus; Invasive; Long Island Sound; Shelter choice; Shelter competition