The influence of size differential on agonistic behaviour in the freshwater crayfish, Cherax cuspidatus (Decapoda: Parastacidae)

The agonistic behaviour of juvenile pairs of intermoult freshwater crayfish Cherax cuspidatus, interacting over space in experimental containers, was examined. The study investigated the effects of differences in Resource Holding Potential (RHP) on social rank, patterns of interaction initiation, and the importance of fighting during encounters between pairs of crayfish. Crayfish were paired with unfamiliar opponents at size classes of 1:1, 1:0.9, 1:0.8, 1:0.7 and 1:0.6 using standard carapace length as the RHP index. Larger animals were dominant during significantly more than 50% of replicates at all size classes. Larger animals were dominant at all size ratios lower than 1:0.89. Seven smaller animals were dominant at size ratios between 1:0.89 and 1:0.99. The dominance of smaller animals could not be explained on the basis of morphological measures or age. The influence of prior experience as dominants or subordinates on the behaviour of contestants during these encounters appeared the most likely explanation. Carapace length, body length, and weight were equally reliable RHP indices. Age, number of injuries, and sex were not reliable RHP indices. The probability of initiating the first agonistic bout was independent of relative size for three of the five size classes. Larger initiators of the first bout invariably were successful, while smaller initiators rarely won. The winner of the first bout was the overall dominant during significantly more than 50% of replicates at each size class. The dominant individuals initiated the majority of bouts at all size classes, including the seven replicates where the smaller crayfish was dominant. Fighting (fight time, fight frequency, average bout length), a high intensity behaviour, was an important component of contests at the 1:1, 1:0.9, and 1:0.8 size classes. The significance of fighting was greatly reduced at the 1:0.7 and 1:0.6 classes, indicating that fighting was correlated with the relative size of opponents