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The importance of chemical cues in the foraging behavior of the rock crab, Cancer irroratus, was investigated. Crabs were presented with mussel prey located upstream, downstream, or cross-stream. Trials were conducted under both light and dark conditions. With the prey upstream, the crabs exhibited the shortest search time and 100% searching success. There was a significant difference between flow direction treatments, but there were no significant differences between light and dark treatments. When presented with mussel extract and a seawater control, crabs approached the source of the current. Analysis of search patterns revealed differences in search time, path length and straightness, and total number of turns. Chemoreception was the predominant mode of prey detection and was used in guiding crabs to their prey. Large variabilities in the search path and search path parameters were exhibited, and there was no fixed search pattern for orientation toward food while foraging. It is suggested that rock crabs employed both chemotaxis and rheotaxis for locating odor sources.

Rock crabs,Cancer irroratus, respond to food odors in low concentration as measured by changes in antennular flicking rate. The responses of rock crabs to prey odor were tested in the presence and absence of visual cues to determine the role of chemical cues in prey recognition. Crabs were attracted to the source of mussel odor introduced into one arm of a Y maze. Natural and artificial prey shells and resin boxes were presented to crabs with and without the presence of mussel extract. The crabs were able to see, handle, and manipulate these objects. Crabs opened and consumed contents that emitted chemosensory cues and ignored identical objects that did not. Rock crabs were attracted to food odors and are capable of utilizing chemical cues to detect, locate, and identify food items.

Diffubenzuron (Dimilin) is used as an insecticide for control of the gypsy moth. Because it is a chitin synthetase inhibitor, it can be a potential threat to other arthropods, including crustaceans. We used a static renewal testing paradigm to determine the LC50 of Dimilin WP-25 to juvenile blue crabs (carapace width: 25–60 mm). Both molt stage of dose frequency effect toxicity. When we exposed the crabs at random molt stages, LC50=3.5 mg l−1. When crabs were exposed on the day of molt, LC50=300 μg l−1. If initial exposure occurred on the day of molt and the crabs were subsequently exposed to repeated doses, LC50=18.5 μg l−1. Effects were age and molt-stage sensitive. We include a review of the data available on Dimilin effects in the marine and estuarine environments.