Abstract
Many organisms use antennae to gather tactile or chemical information from the environment. Crustaceans have two sets of antennae: short antennules (first antennae) and antennae posterior or lateral to them (second antennae) which are often much longer. While the function of crustacean antennae has received some attention, particularly the perception of dispersed chemical signals by the antennules, the role of direct antennal contact during social behavior is less well understood. We compared antennal contact in competitive and pairing interactions in two species of snapping shrimp: Alpheus angulosus and Alpheus heterochaelis. Conspecific interactions involve more antennal contact than heterospecific interactions. Alpheus heterochaelis perform more antennal contact than A. angulosus. Alpheus angulosus females perform more antennal contact in pairing than in competitions; however, A. heterochaelis females and males of both species use antennal contact equally in pairing and competitive interactions. Although antennal contact carries a risk of injury, such contact appears central to snapping shrimp social behavior.
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