SHELL CONDITION AND BREEDING SUCCESS IN TANNER CRABS

When pairs of similar-sized old-shell and new-shell male Chionoecetes bairdi Rathbun were presented with multiparous mates, the old-shell ma les dominated during 70% of the copulations. In 39% of all copulations , possession of the female was contested. Old-shell males won 69% of t hose contested matings. Males that recently molted did not copulate wi th either primiparous or multiparous females.