Behavioural strategy of the ectosymbiotic crab ( Sestrostoma sp.) during ecdysis of the crab and its upogebiid shrimp host

Abstract Moulting is essential for crustacean growth, but is one of the causes of mortality, because a crustacean cannot move during and just after its ecdysis. In the cases of ectosymbiotic crabs, escape from the host's hostile response may also be a problem during its own ecdysis. In this study, Sestrostoma sp. (Varunidae), an ectosymbiotic crab which clings to the ventral abdomen of upogebiid shrimps with legs that can walk, was studied to clarify how the crab moults and maintains association with the host. Five cases of crab ecdysis were observed, where the crab moulted with its legs clinging to the host abdomen, without detaching from the host body. Time required for moulting was 14–21 min. Shedding of the old exoskeleton (active phase) took only 40–59 s. Sestrostoma sp. detached from the host abdomen and waited in the burrow tube during shrimp ecdysis. The crab then reattached at the same location on the host when shrimp moulting was complete. Our results suggest that Sestrostoma sp. are able to maintain a symbiotic relationship with the same shrimp host after its own ecdysis as well after ecdysis of its host.