Density-dependent effect on reproductive behaviour of Lysmata amboinensis and L. boggessi (Decapoda: Caridea: Hippolytidae)

Abstract

We compared the reproductive behaviours of two protandric simultaneous hermaphroditic species (Lysmata amboinensis and L. boggessi) that belong to two groups of Lysmata shrimp with different morphology, geographical distribution, and density. Lysmata amboinensis occurs in tropical waters at low population densities, and L. boggessi is found in aggregation in sub-tropical and temperate areas. Reproductive behaviour of L. boggessi under two densities and L. amboinensis in different habitats were compared. Results show that L. amboinensis was much less active during mating than L. boggessi. Male shrimp of L. amboinensis did not display obvious pre-copulation behaviour. They also took significantly longer to transfer spermatophores and lay eggs after mating than L. boggessi shrimp did. For L. boggessi, moulting time of female shrimp, copulation time and the interval between moulting and mating were significantly shorter when three male shrimp were present than when only one male shrimp was present. Our study suggests that the reproductive behavioural differences in the two shrimp species are possibly the results of density-dependent effect.