Urine and salt

Questions about the body parts of a hermit crab.
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CrabbyJo
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Urine and salt

Post by CrabbyJo »

In browsing the net, I found a scientific article pertaining to specifically coconut crabs and their tendency to recycle the salts from their urine when salt water is scarce, but C. clypeatus, C. rugosus and C. brevimanus are all mentioned as being inland crabs that will also "recycle" the salts from their urine to compensate for lack of salt water.
Unfortunately the article is 20 years old, but does point to what has been maintained as hermit crabs urinating through their antennae, although the article states they are glands at the base of the antennae:
Urine samples were taken from the nephropores at the base of the second
antennae.
So stating that they urinate through their antennae may not be completely accurate. I'll have to read more. :)

The article specifically states that the urine of these crabs will be more dilute if there is a lack of saltwater available.
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ladybug15057
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Re: Urine and salt

Post by ladybug15057 »

Would you happen to have a link to this article?
It is known they will recycle their own urine for the salinity within it. And even those hermies who live inland do this as well. The rain due to being close to the ocean/sea has a higher salinity level.
Marie (aka ladybug15057)

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