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Movement behaviour and shelter choice of the native crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes complex: survey on a population in a semi-natural pond in Northern Italy

2009; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 42; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10236240902916680

1029-0362

Daniela Ghia, Gianluca Fea, Michele Spairani, Franco Bernini, Pietro Angelo Nardi,

Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies

This is a study of movements and artificial shelters use by a 3-year established population of Austropotamobius pallipes complex, in a lentic environment in the Parco Lombardo della Valle del Ticino (NW Italy). Home-checking and mark-recapture methods were used to investigate movements of 178 crayfish and shelter use by 389 crayfish in summer and in autumn. Most crayfish (97.2%) moved but the movement was highly variable. The greater part of the distances moved was less than 10 m day−1. Multi-hole bricks with one opening have been mostly selected, and the lower level was preferentially occupied; frequently a single crayfish per brick was found. The animal's size affected the majority of the analysed variables: mean daily distance, area fidelity, level of shelter; on the other hand no case was significant for sex. The results highlight that this species is fairly mobile and could colonize waterbodies with similar features even rather rapidly. Mobility does not appear to affect the endangered status of this species.