Abstract
The agonistic behavioral patterns of sixteen crayfish species representing four genera of the North American family Cambaridae were observed and compared. The crayfish species studied (Cambarellus puer, Procambarus acutus acutus, P. clarkia, P. simulans simulans, P. gracilis, P. incilis, P. texanus, Orconectes nais, O.causeyi, O.palmeri longimanus, O. meeki meeki, O. deanae, O. neglectus neglectus, O. macrus, O. acares, Faxonella nov. sp.) were collected from a variety of localities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Mexico, and small populations were maintained in aquaria for observation. Six distinct behavioral components observed for the agonistic activities of the crayfish species studied were alert, threat, combat, avoidance, submission, and escape. Also observed was the predator response pattern which bears marked similarity to intraspecific threat. A generalized model for the agnostic behavior of cambarid crayfish was formulated. This model consisted of four submodels: the behavioral functional circle model, the behavioral interaction model, the behavioral chain model, and the behavioral evolution model. Crayfish agnostic behavior was found to include display and ritualization and to utilize a simple, but unambiguous, flash system for threat actions. Relationships suggested by comparison of behavioral components rather closely approximate those morphological relationships previously suggested by Hobbs with specific differences apparently due to ecological similarities of unrelated species.
Hayes, William Arthur (1976). Comparative studies of agonistic behavior in cambarid crayfish. Texas A&M University. Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /DISSERTATIONS -614796.