Petrolisthes violaceus has planktonic larvae that remain as plankton for more than 25 days.[2] The development of the larvae occurs in four stages: a prezoea, two zoeal stages, and a megalopa stage.[3]
It is one of the most common decapods in the intertidal zone of its range.[3] It is a free-living crab, commonly found in crevice, under boulders, or between rocks.[4] Compared to another Petrolisthes species, Petrolisthes laevigatus, it occupies the lower intertidal zone.[5] Compared to P. laevigatus, P. violaceus is more active and more aggressive.[6]
Ecology
Because of the vertical distribution and its intertidal habitat, P. violaceus is regularly exposed to different periods of air exposure, which varies by the heights of the tides.[5] Gaitán-Espitia et al. demonstrated that P. violaceus exhibits a gradient of physiological responses in metabolic and heart rates across a latitude gradient of 3000 kilometers. P. violaceus is better able to cope with water hypoxia due to its position in the lower intertidal zone; it is proposed that in aquatic conditions, P. violaceus has an oxyconformer strategy and is able to adapt its oxygen demands in an oxygen-fluctuating environment.[6]
Taxonomy
Petrolisthes violaceus is the type species of the genus Petrolisthes.[7]
