This paper presents the results of a series of habitat selection experiments aimed at determining if juvenile Melicertus latisulcatus generally occur on intertidal sand- and mud-flats as a result of active selection of unvegetated areas, or due to extrinsic factors (e.g. differential predation). In the laboratory, juvenile M. latisulcatus showed a clear preference for habitats containing sand irrespective of the presence or absence of predators. If sand was not available, artificial seagrass was chosen as a secondary preference but was avoided when sand alone was also present. Importantly, the combinations of habitats chosen for testing allowed us to determine that artificial seagrass provided a good surrogate for real seagrass, and that the presence of potential food (epiphytes) did not appear to influence habitat selection. There was also no difference in the habitat selected between day and night, and only minor differences with prawn size. Thus, juvenile M. latisulcatus appear to have a hierarchy of mechanisms for avoiding predators, with burying in sand being the preferred option. If burying is not possible, then seagrass is used for shelter. Active habitat selection to avoid predation appears likely to play a substantial role in determining the distribution of these animals on unvegetated sand- and mud-flats.

中文翻译：

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西部大虾幼虾积极选择沙子的栖息地，Melicertus latisulcatus (Kishinouye)

本文介绍了一系列栖息地选择实验的结果，旨在确定幼年 Melicertus latisulcatus 是否普遍出现在潮间带沙滩和泥滩上，是由于主动选择未植被区域，还是由于外在因素（例如差异捕食）。在实验室中，幼鱼 M. latisulcatus 对含沙的栖息地表现出明显的偏好，而不管捕食者是否存在。如果没有沙子，则选择人造海草作为次要选择，但在仅存在沙子时应避免使用。重要的是，选择用于测试的栖息地组合使我们能够确定人造海草为真正的海草提供了良好的替代品，并且潜在食物（附生植物）的存在似乎不会影响栖息地选择。白天和黑夜之间选择的栖息地也没有差异，只有对虾大小的微小差异。因此，幼年 M. latisulcatus 似乎具有躲避捕食者的机制等级，埋在沙子中是首选。如果无法掩埋，则使用海草作为庇护所。为避免捕食而主动选择栖息地似乎在确定这些动物在无植被的沙滩和泥滩上的分布方面发挥着重要作用。