Postdispersal Fruit and Seed Removal by the CrabGecarcinus lateralisin a Coastal Forest in Veracruz, Mexico1

In the coastal semideciduous forest of La Mancha, Veracruz (Mexico), we evaluated the removal of fallen fruits and seeds of different species by the land crabGecarcinus lateralisunder different environmental conditions (age soil of forest stand, topography, and cover). Crabs removed 67 percent of the propagules in the experiments (3106 of a total of 4608), and seeds were removed in greater quantities (61.1%) than fruits (38.9%). Fruits ofMaclura tinctoria(Moraceae) andEhretia tinifolia(Boraginacea) and seeds ofE. tinifoliawere the most affected species. Crabs removed higher quantities of fruits in old‐soil forest and in the understory than in young‐soil forest and gaps. In experiments with seeds, only for the older forest, the crabs removed more seeds in slopes and peaks than in valleys and in the understory than gaps, whereas in the young‐soil forest, the differences were not significant. Our results suggest thatG. lateralis, likeGecarcoidea natalisandGecarcinus quadratus, is an efficient propagule predator and can exert pressure in the establishment of plant species, but in La Mancha, this also depends on site conditions and identity of the species.