Allometry and sexual dimorphism of the mangrove climbing crab Metopograpsus latifrons from Magnesia Mangrove Forest, Virac, Catanduanes Island, Philippines
2025
Aldea, Kristian Q. | Padilla, Vicente G. | Torres, Rene V. | Gianan, Anne F. | Tasarra, Serelino T. | Tabios Jr., Moreno D. | Alferez, Arvie A. | Matienzo, Jason S. | Aldea, Marilou A. | Tablate, Rowena T.
Morphological adaptations associated with life history may be explained by studies on allometry and sexual dimorphism in animals. However, little is known about these concepts among the climbing crab species. Here, we investigated the allometric growth (relative growth) and sexual dimorphism of the mangrove climbing crab Metopograpsus latifrons from Magnesia Mangrove Forest, Catanduanes Island, Philippines in 2023 (April, September, and December) and 2024 (October). The results suggest that M. latifrons is positively allometric (both males and females) in the cheliped characters and abdomen. This reflects strategies in intrasexual resource competition (food and spatial resources) and abdominal adaptations related to reproductive systems, respectively. No sexual dimorphism is detected in the body size, indicating that the arboreal strategies of the species may not favor larger individuals. Sexual dimorphism, however, is present in the cheliped, which may be an advantage among males (confrontation, grasping, or courtship display) driven by sexual selection in its mangrove-related lifestyle.
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