Observations on the reproductive behavior of the spiny king crab Paralithodes brevipes (Anomura: Lithodidae)

Abstract

The reproductive behavior of the spiny king crab, Paralithodes brevipes, was observed in the laboratory. Females always molted before mating and extruding eggs. Males performed pre-copulatory guarding behavior before and/or after its mate molted. When males guarded females, prior to the female molting, the average duration from the start of guarding to molting was 38.6 plus or minus 24.9SD hours. Females spawned within 24 hours of molting. Competition among males for females was observed, and larger males appeared to have a competitive advantage although copulation occurred even when males were smaller than their mates.