Reproduction
Male
A fiddler crab male has certain reproductive parts. A fiddler crab has a pair of testes, two penises, two gonopods, and something called a vas deferens. A vas deferens is the duct between the testes and penises.
The gonopods are used to transfer the sperm into the female opening. Once the gonopods is inside the female, the penis extends outward and the sperm is deposited in the female's sexual opening. In order to copulate, the fiddler crab lies on top of the female. (1)
Female
Similar to a human's reproductive system, a fiddler crab female has a pair of ovaries, ovarian ducts, vaginas, and a vulvae. The ovarian ducts opens when an egg is released and is carried through such. During copulation, the vulvae is extended sideways to receive the first pair of gonopods from the male, and then the sperm is then inserted. A female can store the sperm for a long time, and the eggs do not have to be laid after mating. The sperm fertilizes the eggs once the eggs are laid. (2)
The fiddler crab reaches sexual maturity sexual maturity about 9-10 years into its life. Once sexual mature, the male fiddler crab then begins to attract the attention of females. Fiddler crabs mate every two weeks during the summer, so if unfortunate, a fiddler crab simply has to wait another 2 weeks in order to mate once more. The males have a larger claw which is essential when attracting a female's attention. Certain steps are taken in order to attract a female's attention. The first thing a male does is dig a burrow in the sand. When a female walks by, the male is standing next to his burrow and furiously waves his larger claw. He walks to the female and back to his burrow multiple times. If the female decides to mate with the male, she follows him back to his burrow. The male plugs up the opening of the burrow and begins to mate with the female. The female lays the egg sponge and incubates them for about 2 weeks. She then returns to the surface, while the eggs develop. Once the eggs are developed, the eggs are released in the water where they hatch, and tend to stay near the burrow for the first couple of weeks. (3)
Since fiddler crabs are sexual organisms, they procreate using mitosis, in which Fiddler crab male has 208 gametes, as well as the female. The chromosome haploid for both is 104. The male deposits his sperm in the female's vagina, where she lays egg like sponge. She incubates them for 2 weeks, and then the male fertilizes them. (4)
(1) http://faculty.nmu.edu/ncumberl/Neil/MainFWC-website/FWCBiology.html
(2) IBID
(3)http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/fiddler_crabs
(4)http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/chromosomesmtr.htm
A fiddler crab male has certain reproductive parts. A fiddler crab has a pair of testes, two penises, two gonopods, and something called a vas deferens. A vas deferens is the duct between the testes and penises.
The gonopods are used to transfer the sperm into the female opening. Once the gonopods is inside the female, the penis extends outward and the sperm is deposited in the female's sexual opening. In order to copulate, the fiddler crab lies on top of the female. (1)
Female
Similar to a human's reproductive system, a fiddler crab female has a pair of ovaries, ovarian ducts, vaginas, and a vulvae. The ovarian ducts opens when an egg is released and is carried through such. During copulation, the vulvae is extended sideways to receive the first pair of gonopods from the male, and then the sperm is then inserted. A female can store the sperm for a long time, and the eggs do not have to be laid after mating. The sperm fertilizes the eggs once the eggs are laid. (2)
The fiddler crab reaches sexual maturity sexual maturity about 9-10 years into its life. Once sexual mature, the male fiddler crab then begins to attract the attention of females. Fiddler crabs mate every two weeks during the summer, so if unfortunate, a fiddler crab simply has to wait another 2 weeks in order to mate once more. The males have a larger claw which is essential when attracting a female's attention. Certain steps are taken in order to attract a female's attention. The first thing a male does is dig a burrow in the sand. When a female walks by, the male is standing next to his burrow and furiously waves his larger claw. He walks to the female and back to his burrow multiple times. If the female decides to mate with the male, she follows him back to his burrow. The male plugs up the opening of the burrow and begins to mate with the female. The female lays the egg sponge and incubates them for about 2 weeks. She then returns to the surface, while the eggs develop. Once the eggs are developed, the eggs are released in the water where they hatch, and tend to stay near the burrow for the first couple of weeks. (3)
Since fiddler crabs are sexual organisms, they procreate using mitosis, in which Fiddler crab male has 208 gametes, as well as the female. The chromosome haploid for both is 104. The male deposits his sperm in the female's vagina, where she lays egg like sponge. She incubates them for 2 weeks, and then the male fertilizes them. (4)
(1) http://faculty.nmu.edu/ncumberl/Neil/MainFWC-website/FWCBiology.html
(2) IBID
(3)http://www.chesapeakebay.net/fieldguide/critter/fiddler_crabs
(4)http://www.walterreeves.com/uploads/chromosomesmtr.htm
Development
The duration of development of a fiddler crab has stages. It develops for several weeks (4-5), and reaches it's sexual maturity when it's 9-10. A fiddler crab can live up to 16- 17 years old.
The stages of development include the egg, the zoea, the megalopa, and finally the crab. (5) Once the egg is hatched, it becomes a zoea, which is microscopic larvae swimming in the water. After growing from zoea, they become megalopa-similar to plankton in which they swim in open water. After molting a few times, they become immature crabs, and wait 9 to 10 years until full maturity.
The typical offspring for a fiddler crab varies because once in the zoea stage, the fiddler crab is easily preyed upon by predators.
The parental care of a fiddler crab extends to the 2 weeks in which is incubates, and the other couple of weeks to fertilize and from there the mother takes care of the larvae in the water. Once larger enough, the mother leaves and continues to mate. (6)
(5) http://www.fiddlercrab.info/uca_lifecycle.html
(6) http://faculty.nmu.edu/ncumberl/Neil/MainFWC-website/FWCBiology.html
The stages of development include the egg, the zoea, the megalopa, and finally the crab. (5) Once the egg is hatched, it becomes a zoea, which is microscopic larvae swimming in the water. After growing from zoea, they become megalopa-similar to plankton in which they swim in open water. After molting a few times, they become immature crabs, and wait 9 to 10 years until full maturity.
The typical offspring for a fiddler crab varies because once in the zoea stage, the fiddler crab is easily preyed upon by predators.
The parental care of a fiddler crab extends to the 2 weeks in which is incubates, and the other couple of weeks to fertilize and from there the mother takes care of the larvae in the water. Once larger enough, the mother leaves and continues to mate. (6)
(5) http://www.fiddlercrab.info/uca_lifecycle.html
(6) http://faculty.nmu.edu/ncumberl/Neil/MainFWC-website/FWCBiology.html