Soil and fiddler crab burrow temperatures at day and nighttime

Abstract

This study investigates the burrow temperature of large-sized male and female Tubuca rosea (Tweedie, 1937) crabs as well as the soil temperature near their burrows during the day and night. Burrow and soil temperatures were measured using temperature sensors and burrow characteristics were recorded. Both sexes built I- and J-shaped burrows. Female burrows were longer and deeper than male burrows, since female burrows act as breeding burrows in this species. J-shaped burrows were longer and slightly deeper than I-shaped ones. During the day, the burrow temperature was lower than the soil temperature; however, during the night, the opposite result was observed. The burrow length/depth was negatively correlated with the burrow temperature during the day, but these correlations were positive during the night. This study shows that the burrow characteristics of T. rosea modulate the inside temperature of the burrows, maintaining a suitable temperature for the crabs.