Behavioural plasticity in the monsoonal tropics: implications for thermoregulatory traits in sandy shore crabs

Behavioural time budgets of organisms reflect their reaction norms to environmental conditions and, as such, indicate behavioural plasticity. In environments which limit the activity organisms, efficient organization behaviours is critical enhancing performance achieve necessary functions and minimize and/or energetic costs. We investigated variations in a common deposit-feeding crab, Scopimera intermedia, spatio-temporal scales changes experienced on sandy shores monsoonal tropics, where times are restricted by tides. Activity levels crabs varied strongly with air temperature, emerging from sediments only when temperature exceeded ~ 20 °C. water uptake increased frequency both feeding rate was often followed waving displays. Water waving, therefore, appear be multifunctional behaviours, not do replenish for wave chelipeds court females, but these can also contribute thermoregulation, cooling taking up sediment surface. Such plastic traits likely widespread solution survival reproductive success harsh dynamic environments, specialized energetically costly time-inefficient optimize performance. Surviving extreme variable challenging due potentially substantial cost animals need undertake order maximize performances under contrasting conditions. This study reveals multitasking strategy adopted sand-bubbler crab survive hot temperatures within limited tropical shores. Behaviours dependent; active whilst tide out flexibly adjust feed, stay cool attract mates using set behaviours. Specialized therefore this highlights importance plastic, endure highly minimal cost.