The transmission properties of polarized light in the vicinity of the Aquarius habitat throughout the day and in different water quality conditions will be measured to establish the potential for polarized-light to affect signaling by stomatopods and other marine animals. Conch Reef is inhabited by a diversity of stomatopod crustaceans, many found only at depths greater than 15 meters. Coupled with the recent demonstration that Odontodactylus can actually detect polarized signals with their specialized eyes, we now have the opportunity to study the function and relevance of these signals in the field. Nothing is known about communication or social behavior in this group of organisms. We will also collect about a dozen adult male and female O. havanensis for laboratory studies in Berkeley looking specifically at sexual recognition.
Females are sexually receptive only when they have developed ova.
Unfortunately, the chances of finding several receptive females in the field are low. In the laboratory, however, females can be maintained until they become receptive. B. Monogamous mating systems in lysiosquillid stomatopods. We previously discovered that the adults of several species in the family Lysiosquillidae live in what appear to be monogamous pairs. During our last mission, four lysiosquilloids were found within a few meters of the base of Aquarius including two undescribed species of Nannosquilla.