A preliminary report on geographical variations in morphological and behavioral characters of two forms of Macrophthalmus japonicus De Haan (Crustacea, Brachyura)
1986 Volume 1986 Issue 29 Pages 37-43
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1986 Volume 1986 Issue 29 Pages 37-43
Two forms of Macrophthalmus japonicus De Haan, Forms V and L (Wada, 1978), have been studied on their geographical distributions and geographical variations in their morphological and behavioral characters. Form V occurred along the coast of Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Tane Is., whereas Form L was recorded from southwestern Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, and the Nansei Shoto Group from the Ohsumi Group to the Yaeyama. Serial variation was recognized in some morphometrical characters in the following order: Form L in Amami-Ohshima Is, & Okinawa Is., Form L in Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu and Iriomote Is., Form V in localities other than Aomori Pref., and Form V in Aomori Pref. (northern limit of its range). The mean duration of waving display also decreased in the order of Form L in Amami-Ohshima Is. & Okinawa Is., Form L in other localities, and Form V. These findings may be useful in determining evolutionary relationships between the two forms.
