Grande Beach Research Articles

Environmental factors associated with Escherichia coli concentration at freshwater beaches on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

At many public beaches, routine monitoring of beach water quality using fecal indicator bacteria is conducted to evaluate the risk of recreational water illness. Results from water sample analysis can take over 24-hr, which may no longer accurately reflect current water quality conditions. This study aimed to assess which combination of environmental factors best predicts fecal contamination (E. coli) levels at two of the most popular beaches on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba (Gimli and Grand Beach), by linking water quality data and publicly available environmental data from 2007 to 2021. We developed separate mixed effects models for each beach for two outcomes, linear (continuous log-transformed E. coli concentration) and categorical (200 CFU/100 ml threshold), to explore differences in the predictors of E. coli concentrations and exceedances of the provincial health risk threshold, respectively. We used a Directed Acyclic Graph to choose which predictor variables to include in the models. For both beaches, we identified clustering of the E. coli outcomes by year, suggesting year-specific variation. We also determined that extreme weather days, with higher levels of rainfall in the preceding 48-hr, previous day average air temperature, and previous day E. coli concentration could result in a higher probability of E. coli threshold exceedances or higher concentrations in the water bodies. In Grand Beach, we identified that days with lower average UV levels in the previous 24-hr and antecedent dry days could result in a higher probability of E. coli threshold exceedances or higher concentrations. The findings can inform possible trends in other freshwater settings and be used to help develop real-time recreational water quality predictive models to allow more accurate beach management decisions and warrant enhancement of beach monitoring programs for extreme weather events as part of the climate change preparedness efforts.

Latitudinal variation in reproductive performance of hermit crabs (Anomura: Paguroidea) in two marine provinces along the Brazilian coast

ABSTRACT We performed a comparative analysis of fecundity and reproductive effort of two hermit crab species, Clibanarius antillensis and Calcinus tibicen, distributed along the two marine provinces in Brazilian coast. Samples of both species were manually collected during spring low tides on a two-month basis, from February 2011 to January 2012 at locations separated by ~ 3000 km: North-eastern (NE) region – Pedra Rachada Beach (Ceará); South-eastern (SE) region – Araçá Beach and Grande Beach (São Paulo). The size of ovigerous females, as well as the fecundity values, egg volume, internal volume of occupied shells, and reproductive effort were analysed, and the results evidenced significantly higher values for females of both species collected in SE localities. In females collected NE, there was also the presence of aberrant eggs, which influenced the reproductive parameters analysed for these species, resulting in lower reproductive effort. Biomass invested in egg production varied between populations, but ovigerous females of SE invested a higher percentage of their weight in the production of its egg mass, showing significant differences in the reproductive effort. Variation in reproductive performance detected for both species may be related to latitudinal location and associated to the habitat’s characteristics.

Monitoring of meso and microplastic debris in Playa Grande beach (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) during a moon cycle

The occurrence and composition of meso (5–25 mm) and microplastics (1–5 mm) in Playa Grande beach (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) was monitored during a complete moon cycle on the different moon phases between 17th June and 16thJuly 2019. A total of 10 points were sampled each day finding an average content of mesoplastics of 18 g/m2 (0.36 g/L) and of microplastics of 13 g/m2 (1277 items/m2 or 1.6 g/L). Polypropylene and polyethylene accounted for 19% and 76% of the total, respectively. Tar was also found in the 1–5 mm fraction (2% of the total). Among the particles found, 83% were fragments, 11% pellets, 4% fibres and 2% films. The obtained results revealed that microplastic presence could not be related in this case with the tides but with the orientation and strength/speed of the wind.

Morpho-sedimentological and vegetational characterization of Grande beach at São Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil)

ABSTRACTA multidisciplinary study based on several digital (geology, lithology, shoreline evolution, photo-interpretation of aerial and ortho-photographs) and field (topographic and vegetational surveys, grain-size analysis) datasets prompted new insights to a better definition of the processes in action at the Grande beach at São Francisco do Sul Island (Santa Catarina, Brazil). The resulting data enabled us to produce a multi-thematic map at 1:50,000 scale that might be useful in assisting decision-makers to manage the coastal system, taking into account involved factors at once and not separately. In addition, the map may be implemented and integrated with new information, since the database is provided in geographical information system. The results confirmed the importance of addressing coastal systems with a multi-faceted approach that can be applied everywhere, not only in settings similar to São Francisco do Sul Island.

Vulnerability Assessment of a Coastal Dune System at São Francisco do Sul Island, Santa Catarina, Brazil

In this paper a Coastal Dune Vulnerability Index (CDVI) has been applied on a beach located in the eastern side of Sao Francisco do Sul Island (Brazil). The aim of this study is to assess the vulnerability of a coastal dune system and to identify the areas that result most sensitive to environmental changes. The CDVI has been applied along six transects traced out on two sectors that have been selected based on dune characteristics: Zone A is characterized by well developed parabolic dunes, whereas Zone B is characterized by transverse dunes. The analysis involved 51 quantitative and qualitative variables, divided into five groups: geomorphological dune system condition, marine influence, Aeolian effect, vegetation condition and human effect. The total CDVI was computed as the unweighted average of the partial vulnerability indices. In summary, the total vulnerability can be classified as medium: the geomorphological factor must be monitored at Grande beach, in particular the blowouts in Zone A and the frontal dune retreat in Zone B. The results of the study confirm that the management of coastal areas might be improved using a tool such as the CDVI, which can be easily applied on a regular basis to take under control the factors that mostly affect the evolution of the site.

Population biology and morphometric sexual maturity of the fiddler crab Uca (Uca) maracoani (Latreille, 1802) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Ocypodidae) in a semiarid tropical estuary of northeastern Brazil

The population biology and size at sexual maturity of Uca (Uca) maracoani were studied for the first time in a semi-arid tropical estuary of northeastern Brazil. A catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) technique was used to sample the crabs, on the surface and inside burrows, for 60-min sampling periods by one person on a monthly basis during spring low tide periods from June 2013 to June 2014 in an estuary area of Baixa Grande Beach. A total of 406 crabs were obtained, of which 317 were males, 87 non-ovigerous females, and two ovigerous females. Males were larger than non-ovigerous females. The U. (U.) maracoani population presented unimodal size frequency distribution, which may reflect a continuous recruitment, with no disruption of classes and constant mortality rates, indicating a stable population. The overall sex ratio (3.5 males: 1 female) differed significantly from the expected 1:1 proportion. The major cheliped was on the right side in 45.1% of the males, as reported for other fiddler crabs populations. A total of 294 males and 89 females were used in the allometric study. The specimens were measured at carapace width (CW), the major propodus length (MPL) of males, and abdomen width (AW) of females. In males, the relationship between CW and MPL was 22.3 mm CW, which is considered the functional value at maturity. In females, the size at sexual maturity was 19.3 mm CW based on the relationship between CW and AW. The CPUE method is discussed as one of the reasons of the high sex ratio skewed towards males. This is the first account regarding population structure of U. (U.) maracoani in semi-arid tropical areas.

A numerical investigation of the 1783 landslide-induced catastrophic tsunami in Scilla, Italy

The seismic crisis that hit Calabria (South Italy) since the beginning of 1783, lasted 3 years with strong earthquakes concentrated in the first 2 months, causing many fatalities and great destruction, as reported by several detailed historical reports. Following an earthquake that occurred on February 6, 1783, a mass with volume of about 6 Mm3 detached from the flank of Mount Paci and collapsed into the sea. In 1 min, huge waves attacked the nearby village of Scilla and killed most of the people that had gathered in the wide shore named Marina Grande to escape from seismic danger. More than 1500 people died due to the tsunami, many buildings were destroyed. In the paper, such catastrophic event is studied by means of numerical models. First we reconstruct the initial sliding mass and compute its motion through a Lagrangian model; then, we simulate the tsunami generation, propagation and flooding on the coast of Scilla by means of a nonlinear shallow-water equations model. The results of the simulation are compared against the detailed description of the tsunami effects available from several historical accounts and are found to be in a very satisfactory agreement with the 6–8 m inundation height reported in the Marina Grande beach.

“La fijeza”: the hope of the temporary progression through the image of the Caribbean location

This is a text derivated from the presentation “La fijeza: tiempo y espacio insulares”, in the 38th Conference of the Caribbean Studies Association, on June 4th, 2013 at Grenada Grand Beach Resort, Grand Anse, Grenada.Lezama Lima was a Cuban poet, essayist, and novelist considered as well as Alejo Carpentier, one of the greatest figures of the Caribbean island literature. His detailed knowledge of the baroque literature specially Góngora’s poetry, and also his necessity of fixing a Cuban identity, allowed him to propose a very innovative esthetic which goes beyond the disenchantment proper of the baroque. The verses of “La fijeza” are some examples of this vision. In this order of ideas, the purpose of this work in to present the analysis of some poems of “La fijeza” in order to explain the manner in which Lezama distances himself from the baroque disenchantment conception of the world and how, at the same time, he presents verses of hope, identity and universalism by means of presenting the poetic image of the Caribbean scenery and its spatio-temporal relationships in a way to explain a vision of the poetry as privileged way to re-create the world.

Substrate preference by the porcelain crab Pachycheles monilifer (Crustacea, Anomura): the bryozoan Schizoporella errata or the polychaete Phragmatopoma caudata?

Differences on reproductive performance between two sampling points of the porcelain crab Pachycheles monilifer from Ubatuba (São Paulo, Brazil), one from Itaguá Beach (living on Schizoporella errata) and the other from Grande Beach (living on Phragmatopoma caudata) has been previously observed. Therefore could be expected a specific behavior in substrate preference to optimize the best biogenic habitat. Considering this premise, our goal was to test the substrate preference of this species when both substrates were simultaneously available. In total, 185 individuals were collected in these same localities and they were submitted to substrate selection experiments. The trials were conducted on containers with quiet seawater at 28 ± 1°C and under dark photoperiod. Specimens were exposed to substrates by 30 min. Trials started with the release of one animal per treatment in the middle of the opposite side to the substrate inside the containers. After the established time, the substrate preference of each porcelain crab was verified. As result, no preference pattern was found and the choices in the experiment were not significantly different from the expected. This lack of preferences may be an indication that porcelain crabs are generalists in habitat use regardless of sex of individuals and potential benefit in fitness. Therefore, the differences on the reproductive aspects of the P. monilifer probably are associated with environment factors not simulated in this study and may indicate the occurrence of plasticity in habitat selection behavior.

Differential habitat use by demographic groups of the redfinger rubble crab Eriphia gonagra (Fabricius, 1781).

The structurally diverse rocky shores along the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, support a varied fauna and provide refuges for many organisms. Some of these environments allow for extensive microhabitats, among them the sand reefs formed by the polychaete Phragmatopoma lapidosa, which occupy much of this area. The beauty of the landscape attracts large numbers of tourists, who contribute to the damage to the sand reef colonies, causing an imbalance in the patterns of population distribution and of this ecosystem. We describe the structure and population biology of the redfinger rubble crab Eriphia gonagra, and investigated the differential occupation of the habitat by each demographic category of this species. Crabs were sampled monthly for two consecutive years on the rocky coast of Grande Beach, Ubatuba, São Paulo, during spring low tides. Sampling was carried out over an area of approximately 1200 m2, during two hours on the rock surface and another two hours on the sand reefs. A total of 1407 crabs were collected; 776 on the sand reef (SR) and 631 on the rocky shore (RO). The majority of juvenile crabs inhabited the SR, while adult crabs were equally distributed in both microhabitats. This study showed that the SR is a natural nursery ground for the establishment of the early juvenile stages of E. gonagra, which use the reefs as a refuge and food resource. Many other organisms (mollusks, echinoderms, polychaetes etc.) settle on the reefs, and these areas may be among the most important in maintaining benthic diversity in the region.

2011 Meeting Southern Thoracic Surgical Association

The Fifty-eighth Annual Meeting of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association was held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort in San Antonio, Texas, November 9–12, 2011. The President was Joseph S. Coselli, MD (Houston, TX). Officers elected for the coming year are as follows: President, Walter H. Merrill, MD (Jackson, MS); President Elect, Robert J. Cerfolio, MD (Birmingham, AL); Vice President, Erle H. Austin, MD (Louisville, KY); Councilor, Shanda H. Blackmon, MD (Houston, TX); Councilor, Jennifer S. Lawton, MD (St. Louis, MO). The following applicants were elected to active membership: Masoud A. Alzeerah Amarillo, TX Carl L. Backer Chicago, IL Tammy M. Baxter Miami, FL David P. Bichell Nashville, TN Joel S. Corvera Indianapolis, IN Joseph Dearani Rochester, MN Emily A. Farkas Saint Louis, MO Felix Fernandez Atlanta, GA Tom Hamilton San Antonio, TX David Hart Bloomington, IN Keith A. Havenstrite Tacoma, WA Charles W. Hoopes Lexington, KY Lauren C. Kane San Antonio, TX Minoo Kavarana Charleston, SC Sandeep J. Khandhar Falls Church, VA Jae Hyun Kim Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Bret A. Mettler Nashville, TN Philip S. Mullenix Bethesda, MD Cyrus J. Parsa Durham, NC Allan Pickens Atlanta, GA T. Brett Reece Aurora, CO Jose R. Rodriguez Lima, OH Randy M. Stevens Philadelphia, PA Chadwick W. Stouffer Knoxville, TN Donald E. Stowell Oklahoma City, OK John S. Thurber Bethesda, MD Betty C. Tong Durham, NC Courtnye A. Walker Ft. Smith, AR Matthew L. Williams Louisville, KY The following applicants were elected to resident membership: Keki R. Balsara Johns Hopkins Amanda L. Eilers UTHSC San Antonio Stephen J. Huddleston Johns Hopkins Jeremiah T. Martin Duke University Russell L. McElveen University of Mississippi Medical Center HelenMari L. Merritt UTHSC San Antonio Gregory Duncan Rushing Johns Hopkins Christopher Sciortino Johns Hopkins Neel R. Sodha Johns Hopkins Chad N. Stasik UTHSC San Antonio Minh P. Tran Johns Hopkins Robert D. Stewart, MD, received the Clifford Van Meter President's Award for best scientific paper presented at the 2011 meeting for his paper titled “Contemporary Fontan Operation: Association of Type of Cavopulmonary Connection with Early Outcome.” The Hawley H. Seiler Residents Award was awarded to Sameh M. Said, MD, for his paper and presentation titled “Is There a Real Advantage of Pericardial Bioprostheses in Elderly Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement?” The Fifty-ninth Annual Meeting will be held at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, November 7–10, 2012. Co-Chairs of the 2012 Program Committee are Richard K. Freeman, MD, and Stephen R. Hazelrigg, MD. Co-Chairs of the 2012 Postgraduate Committee are Richard Lee, MD, and Mitchell J. Magee, MD. Chair of the 2012 Membership Committee is Vinay Badhwar, MD.

Earthquake triggering of landslides in highly jointed rock masses: Reconstruction of the 1783 Scilla rock avalanche (Italy)

The Scilla rock avalanche occurred on 6 February 1783 along the coast of the Calabria region (southern Italy), close to the Messina Strait. It was triggered by a mainshock of the “Terremoto delle Calabrie” seismic sequence, and it induced a tsunami wave responsible for more than 1500 casualties along the neighbouring Marina Grande beach. Based on subaerial and submarine surveys, a 5×106m3 subaerial landslide was identified together with a 3×106m3 submarine scar area, whereas block deposits are present in both the subaerial and submerged regions. A detailed geological reconstruction of the slope was obtained and a geomechanical characterisation of the metamorphic rocks involved in the landslide was performed. Based on this reconstruction, intense jointing conditions of the rock mass can be related to main fault zones parallel and normally oriented to the actual coastline. An engineering geology model of the landslide was devised according to an equivalent continuum approach to evaluate both stiffness and strength of the rock mass within the slope. A finite difference stress–strain numerical modelling of the Scilla landslide was performed under dynamic conditions to back-analyse the landslide trigger as well as local seismic amplifications.This modelling gave new insights into the physical interactions between seismic inputs and slopes, as it demonstrated the fundamental role played by i) the interaction between the seismic input and geological setting of unsheared rock slopes (i.e., without preexisting landslide masses), ii) cumulated strain effects due to seismic sequences, and iii) jointing conditions of the involved rock masses responsible for the seismic amplification of the landslide-prone volume, driving it toward failure conditions.

Ophionereis reticulata (Echinodermata, Ophiuroidea)

This study compared the arm regeneration frequencies in two different populations of Ophionereis reticulata (Say, 1825) in São Sebastião, Southeast Brazil and observed arm regeneration between age classes (juvenile and adults) and sexes (male and female). From the 1,170 individuals sampled, 1,089 (92.2%) showed signs of arm regeneration. The relative frequencies of regenerating arms in the two areas were not different (Baleeiro Isthmus: 91.3% and Grande Beach: 99.5%). Both areas also presented similar values for the number of arms regenerating/individual and in the frequency of regenerating individuals. The major part of the regenerating scars was concentrated in the distal portion of the arm. Sub-lethal predation is most likely the cause to the high rates of arm regeneration in O. reticulata. There was no significant differences in the regeneration rates between females (3.57 ± 1.36 arms regenerating/individual) and males (3.47 ± 1.42).

Taxas de retrogradação e balanço sedimentar em praias sob risco muito alto de erosão no município de Ubatuba (Litoral Norte de São Paulo)

Cerca de 22% das praias arenosas do município de Ubatuba (Litoral Norte de São Paulo) encontram-se em risco muito alto de erosão. As causas do fenômeno são diversas, incluindo fatores naturais, como a elevação atual do nível do mar e mudanças na dinâmica costeira, e fatores antrópicos associados a diversas intervenções ao longo da linha de costa e nas planícies costeiras. Um dos onze indicadores de erosão costeira monitorados nas praias paulistas é a retrogradação da linha de costa nas últimas décadas. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados dos estudos realizados em quatro praias de Ubatuba que estão sob risco muito alto de erosão costeira - Maranduba, Praia Grande, Barra Seca e Ubatumirim/Estaleiro, visando ao cálculo das taxas de retogradação das mesmas em fotografias aéreas de 1962, 1973 e 2001. Para o mapeamento dos polígonos praiais foram adotados os limites: superior – linha de vegetação permanente na planície costeira ou estruturas construídas pelo homem, e inferior – linha de água mais alta. Os cálculos das taxas de variação da linha de costa e do déficit sedimentar foram efetuados através dos métodos End Point Rate (EPR) e médias dos EPRs (AEPRs). Como esperado, os resultados mostraram que as praias analisadas apresentaram tendências erosivas nas últimas quatro décadas. A maior erosão foi observada na Praia Grande, que teve um recuo de 1,9 m/ano, seguida pelas praias de Barra Seca, com 0,78 m/ano, Estaleiro, 0,36 m/ano, Ubatumirim, 0,25 m/ano, e Maranduba, 0,17 m/ano.

Reproductive output of the spider crab Epialtus bituberculatus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura) associated with beds of the alga Sargassum cymosum (C. Agardh, 1820) on the southeastern Brazilian coast

The reproductive output of the spider crab Epialtus bituberculatus, which is associated with beds of the alga Sargassum cymosum, was evaluated. Collections were carried out monthly from January through December 2001 in the intertidal of two beaches (Grande and Domingas Dias) on the subtropical southeastern Brazilian coast. The carapace width of ovigerous females was measured and their eggs were counted. A subsample of five eggs was taken from each batch and their volume measured and the stage of embryonic development identified. The fecundity index (FI), and reproductive intensity index (RII), were estimated. In total, 281 ovigerous females were obtained, 108 and 173 from Grande and Domingas Dias beaches, respectively. The egg production was a function of the size of the crabs. The fecundity was significantly different between the two sites. Individuals from the Domingas Dias beach population had a larger average fecundity and greater peaks of RII in comparison to the crabs at Grande beach. Sig ificant differences in egg volume were detected between early and late embryonic stages, at both beaches. The general trend for the egg-production strategy of E. bituberculatus follows the pattern for tropical and subtropical brachyuran species, increasing with body-size. The differences recorded in the present study might be caused by environmental factors such as hydrodynamics, which are quite different between the two beaches, suggesting that this may have importance in the determining the reproductive output of this species.

Description of the Male Reproductive System of the Hermit Crab Calcinus Tibicen (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae)

We describe the male reproductive system of the intertidal hermit crab Calcinus tibicen, with emphasis on the sexual apparatus, spermatophore, and spermatozoa. The crabs were collected on the rocky shore of Praia Grande Beach, Ubatuba, southeastern Brazil. The morphological analysis, based on 30 specimens, was made with the use of a stereomicroscope, an optical microscope, and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The male reproductive system is composed of a pair of juxtaposed testes, located dorsally in the pleon. From each testis emerges a vas deferens that links it to the exterior by the gonopores, located on the base of the fifth pair of pereiopods. The vas deferens has three macroscopically distinct regions that contain spermatophores in different stages of maturation. The spermatophore morphology is similar to that of other members of Paguroidea, having a distal, nearly spherical ampulla containing spermatozoa; an approximately cylindrical peduncle; and a proximal foot connecting the spermatophores. We describe, for the first time, the variability in the spermatophore morphology and size in the three regions of the vas deferens using the type species of the genus Calcinus. The spermatozoa have three main regions (the acrosomal vesicle, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm). The morphological similarity of the male reproductive system of C. tibicen with previously studied species of Diogenidae is an indicative of complex phylogenetic relationships among the members of the genus.

The diet of Ophionereis reticulata (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) in southeastern Brazil

The ophiuroid Ophionereis reticulata (Say, 1825) occurs in the sediment-rocky shore interface, under small stones. Its diet is analyzed in this short communication. Specimens were collected at the Praia Grande beach, located on the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, in July, 2002 and January, 2003. The animals were fixed in 70% ethanol and dissected to obtain their stomach contents. Of the total (35), 77.1% (27) had ingested some kind of food and, among those, 81.4% (22) had more than one item. The mean number of food items per stomach was 1.9. Ophionereis reticulata is an omnivorous species, consuming sediment, green and red algae, and polychaetes.

Reproductive cycle of Ophionereis reticulata (Ophiuroidea, Echinodermata) on the southeast coast of Brazil

Summary The reproductive cycle of Ophionereis reticulata, a common sediment-rocky shore-interface ophiuroid, was examined monthly from January 2002 to January 2003 at Praia Grande beach (São Sesbatião, state of São Paulo, Brazil). Mature individuals were found from January 2002 to April 2002 and from November 2002 to January 2003. Spawning was regcorded from January 2002 to March 2002 and from November 2002 to January 2003. Mature sperm is still present in April which could be involved in the fertilization of the last oocytes spawned in March and April. November and December marked the final point in the maturation process, with a high concentration of yolk and lipid nutrients in the oocytes. Ophionereis reticulata showed, for the period analyzed, a single spawning period, during spring and summer.

Density and distribution of nests of Mycetophylax simplex (Emery) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in areas with mobile dunes on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Studies on lower attines are scarce, especially on nesting and foraging ecology and behavior. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge of an Attini in dunes ecosystems through the description of density and spatial distribution of Mycetophylax simplex (Emery, 1887) nests in a strip of mobile dunes in the Praia Grande beach, Torres, northern coast of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The density and spatial distribution of nests were estimated in four plots of 2,500 m² each, in which were found 20, 209, 284 and 324 nests, with average densities of 0.01 nests/m², 0.09, 0.11 and 0.13 nests/m², respectively. The nests were found near to the vegetation and showed clumped distribution. The density and distribution pattern of the nests seem to be related to the availability of nesting places and foraging resources.

Shell selection by the tropical hermit crab Calcinus tibicen (Herbst, 1791) (Anomura, Diogenidae) from Southern Brazil

Shell preferences, as shown by laboratory choice experiments, are important determinants of shell utilization under natural conditions. Size and shell species preferences of the hermit crab Calcinus tibicen were determined for the three most occupied [ Stramonita haemastoma (Linnaeus, 1767), Leucozonia nassa (Gmelin, 1791) and Pisania auritula (Link, 1807)] shell species along the rocky shore of Grande beach, Ubatuba, Brazil, taking into account the sexual condition of the individuals. All experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions using a glass aquarium where the hermit crabs (independent on their sex condition) were placed naked with a large number of shells of appropriate sizes. The chosen shells were determined after 72 h. The preferred shell species and size were determined by regression analysis. C. tibicen showed no significant choice among the three gastropod shell species. Shell size experiments revealed that the preference of hermit crabs was strongly associated with shell weight and internal volume. The shell adequacy index (SAI) decreased with increasing crab size and showed that the population was occupying relatively adequate shells (SAI=0.99±0.19). The present data lead us to conclude that shell selection by hermit crabs involves individual and sexual preferences taking into account the shell features that best provide protection and survival, principally in the rocky intertidal studied area, characterized by intense wave action.