Variation in Fluorescence in Some Northeast Atlantic Malacostraca (Pancrustacea)

Fluorescence is known to occur on varying surfaces across crustacea but is only cited in sporadic reports, despite being a potentially important visual signal and changing with development and within moult cycles. Here, we present the occurrence of fluorescence in some common Northeast Atlantic crustaceans and highlight differences by age and sex, to bring attention to this potentially important facet of their biology. Fluorescence was present on dactyli tips across most species, and setae on the ventral side of edible crabs and lobsters (with greater occurrence in females) and over the whole body in spider and hermit crabs.