Sound production in the coconut crab, the largest terrestrial crustacean

• Published in: Zoology (Jena) 2019-12, Vol.137, p.125710-125710, Article 125710
• Main Authors: Oka, Shin-ichiro, Kobayashi, Nozomi, Sato, Taku, Ueda, Keiichi, Yamagishi, Maki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: acoustic communication; robber crab; scaphognathite; tapping sound
• ISSN: 0944-2006; 1873-2720
• DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2019.125710

•The sound production mechanisms of coconut crabs is described.•The crabs can produced various tapping sound by beating the scaphognathite.•The sounds is considered to use for their individual communication. Sound production in terrestrial crustaceans, including the coconut crab, Birgus latro, is not fully understood. Here, we present the first description of the acoustic features and sound production mechanisms of coconut crabs. The sound production system was determined based on X-ray videography and anatomical observations. The results indicated that the crabs produced a tapping sound by beating the scaphognathite, which is also used for ventilation, in the efferent branchial channel. The frequencies of the produced sounds were diverse, and the sound interval also varied within the same individual. From observations under captivity, differences in the sounds were confirmed at each mating phase. Although the relationship between the sounds and actions was not clarified in this study, it is probable that the crabs deliberately produce various types of sounds for different occasions. The coconut crab is known to use visual and chemical communication mechanisms, but these results suggest that a diverse set of sounds is an additional communication pathway during agonistic and mating interactions.