ABSTRACT
Scyllarid lobsters are a diverse group of animals (85 species) that possess varied early life-history strategies and live in dissimilar habitats and depths — as such, they possess diverse behaviors, and no “stereotypical” behavioral descriptions are possible. For species that specialize on bivalves, feeding behavior is probably the closest to being stereotypical, with the sharp-pointed dactyls of the pereiopods acting to pry open bivalves or remove the flesh from gastropods. Antennules, which are normally organs of distant chemoreception (olfaction) appear to play a contact chemoreception role (taste) in the species of this family. Setal types on mouthparts and pereiopods are less diverse than in the nephropids and palinurids, but are likely to represent bimodal chemomechanosensors and mechanosensors. Substrate preferences are varied, depending on final habitat of the adults. Some species (e.g., Ibacus and Thenus) are well adapted for digging into the substrate and show an advanced digging behavior compared to others that are adapted for sheltering in crevices or under living structures (corals, sponges) and do so either solitarily or communally. Only a few species apparently undertake migrations from adult grounds, while the majority appear to make nomadic movements only within their adult habitats. Solitary species and social species seem to have little agonism toward conspecifics, except over food items. Mating behavior has not been observed; however, here again, there is diversity among species in spermatophore placement (internal or external) and persistence. Scyllarides, Ibacus, and Thenus species appear capable of burst-and-coast swimming to effect what are presumed to be foraging movements within their habitats or to escape from predator threats. Neurophysiological control over such swimming has only been investigated in Ibacus species and demonstrates loss of giant interneurons that are used by other decapod forms for escape swimming. Little is known of the sensory inputs affecting scyllarid behaviors.
