Abstract
Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the effects of sediment texture and presence of non-moulting conspecifics on size-specific moulting survival of the omnivorous benthic isopod Saduria entomon (L.). The moult survival of S. entomon was significantly higher in coarse sand than in very soft muddy clay sediment. However, there was no size-related difference in moult survival between the substrates. Due to cannibalism, moult survival of S. entomon was substantially reduced in the presence of non-moulting conspecifics. Moult survival was higher when the moulter was larger than the non-moulters compared to when the moulter was smaller. In contrast, the absolute size of the moulter or the non-moulters did not affect moult survival. The sex of the moulting or non-moulting isopods had no effect on the survival of the moulters. Based on the results from laboratory experiments, sediment texture and cannibalism are suggested to affect survival during moult of S. entomon in the field.
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Received: 12 February 1998 / Accepted: 14 November 1998
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Sparrevik, E. Sediment texture and cannibalism affect survival during moult in Saduria entomon (Isopoda). Marine Biology 133, 437–441 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270050482
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002270050482