title: Hard-shell mating in Neohelice granulata: the role of ecdysone in female receptivity and mate attraction.
abstract: Most brachyuran females become receptive during the intermolt period, a condition considered "derived". However, as far as we know, studies testing the existence and function of pheromones in decapods are based on species which have mating linked to molting, a condition considered as "ancestral". For the first time, we studied some physiological and morphological processes involved in Neohelice granulata intermolt female crabs becoming receptive and potentially attracting males. We found that receptive females have mobile vulvae opercula due to a softening process of the cuticle hinge which showed lower calcium levels compared to the hinge of unreceptive females. Local softening of the hinge was stimulated by a low concentration of ecdysone during the intermolt period. A putative pheromone liberated by receptive females to attract males is presumed to be released through the mobile vulvae and not through the urine.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina. salmoyan@mdp.edu.ar.
authors.forename: María P
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3846-6290
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sal Moyano
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Funes 3350, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luppi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biodiversity and Experimental Biology, FCEN University of Buenos Aires, Institute of Biodiversity, Experimental and Applied Biology (IBBEA), CONICET-UBA. Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. II, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Medesani
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, PB 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Colin L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: McLay
authors.affiliation: Department of Biodiversity and Experimental Biology, FCEN University of Buenos Aires, Institute of Biodiversity, Experimental and Applied Biology (IBBEA), CONICET-UBA. Ciudad Universitaria, Pab. II, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Enrique M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura / Q000502:physiology*; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D018978:Molting / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004440:Ecdysone
keywords: Cuticle softening; Ecdysteroids; Hard-shell mating; Pheromones; Vulvae