The Influence of Sensory and Morphological Characteristics on Prey and Patch Choice by Portunid and Cancrid Crabs

少数民族机构研究改进（RIMI）计划 为加强研究环境提供支持 主要是少数民族机构的能力， 拥有大量少数民族学生的机构。 符合条件的机构还必须有科学研究生课程， 工程学专业 为教师研究提供资金， 基金会支持的科学和工程领域， 购置研究仪器。 大学 马里兰州-东海岸（UMES）将利用RIMI的支持来研究 感官和形态特征对摄食的影响 梭子蟹和巨蟹蟹的习性。 觅食行为和 参与区分猎物的感觉机制是 对这些动物了解甚少。 研究的一个阶段将 分析蟹类如何发现猎物并判断猎物质量。 另一 阶段将研究处理时间和猎物之间的关系 选择，包括爪形态和微生境的影响 （底部位置），关于猎物选择。 UMES的研究人员将使用最先进的数据收集技术， 分析仪器，以收集关于行为的真实的时间数据， 三种螃蟹 首席研究员有多年的 研究海洋生物，特别是甲壳类的经验。 的 基金会支持这个项目，因为少数民族将有 参与有价值的海洋研究的机会，以及 很少有少数族裔选择职业。

The Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (RIMI) program was established to provide support to strengthen the research environments and capabilities of predominantly minority institutions or institutions that have substantial minority student populations. Eligible institutions must also have graduate programs in science or programs in engineering. Funding is provided for faculty research in fields of science and engineering supported by the Foundation and for the acquisition of research instrumentation. The University of Maryland - Eastern Shore (UMES) will use RIMI support to study the influence of sensory and morphological characteristics on the feeding habits of Portunid and Cancrid crabs. The foraging behaviors and sensory mechanisms involved in discriminating among prey items are poorly understood in these animals. One phase of the study will analyze how the crabs detect prey and judge prey quality. Another phase will examine the relationship between handling time and prey selection, including effects of claw morphology, and microhabitat (position on the bottom), on prey selection. Researchers at UMES will use state of the art data collecting and analysis instrumentation to collect real time data on the behavior of three crab species. The principal investigator has many years of research experience with marine organisms, especially crustacea. The Foundation has supported this project because minorities will have opportunities to participate in meritorious marine research, and area where very few minorities choose careers.