The Effect of Anemone Availability on Mithrax sculptus Reaction to Predator Introduction (Diodon holocanthus) – Chris and Trever

Abstract photo
It's hard to see, but a Mithrax crab is hidden behind the anemone tentacles.

In Discovery Bay, there are an abundance of anemones, which provide shelter for different marine species. The ability for those species to seek shelter under anemones when a predator is present is critical for their survival. Mithrax sculptus crabs are the most common species found in anemones. For our experimentation on Mithrax sculptus, we wanted to test how important anemones are for their survival. We hypothesized that crabs in relatively smaller tanks will be able to seek shelter under anemones, with or without the presence of a predator, more easily than in a larger tanks. We also hypothesized that the smaller crabs will have an advantage of seeking shelter due to their sheer ability to hide undetected underneath anemones. In a survey of 650 anemones, it was concluded that the Condylactis gigantea was the dominant anemone, predominantly housing Mithrax sculptus. As predicted the smaller tanks showed a significantly lower amount of deaths due to predation. We also observed that there was not any significance of crab size to predation.

2 thoughts on “The Effect of Anemone Availability on Mithrax sculptus Reaction to Predator Introduction (Diodon holocanthus) – Chris and Trever

  1. I found your research experiment interesting and insightful. Your picture is excellent. It gives the reader a greater understanding of the subject matter. Great job guys.

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