Abstract

In the Grays Harbor estuary juvenile Dungeness crab (Cancer magister Dana) are found at higher densities in epibenthic shell deposits compared to open mud flat. Differences in predation rate between habitats have been suggested to be due to habitat preference and differential survival. Megalopae preferred shell over open space in still-water conditions. However, it is not known whether megalopae are able to select shell in flowing water since larval preference is known to differ between still and flowing water. Here we report the first experimental study of swimming behavior of Dungeness crab megalopae in a range of current velocities (0-40 cm s-1) equivalent to natural flow in Grays Harbor estuary. Experiments were conducted in daylight using a recirculating flume. Megalopae swimming speeds ranged from 8.5 cm s-1 (8 body lengths s-1) in still water to 44.8 cm s-1 (44 body lengths s-1) at flow speeds of 40 cm s-1. Neither swimming behavior nor sheltering behavior in shells showed any flow-related pattern. Megalopae spent a large proportion of time swimming against the current and made headway upstream against all current velocities tested. The results suggest that Dungeness crab megalopae are able to maneuver and actively search for settlement sites under current velocities found in natural habitats, including intertidal shell deposits, and support the hypothesis of active selection of shell by megalopae.