Postmolt behavior of red rock shrimp, Lysmata californica, exposed to ocean acidification and warming conditions

The red rock shrimp, Lysmata californica, is a key species in Southern California's shallow coastal ecosystems where it faces environmental challenges due to seasonal and long-term changes in ocean pH and temperature. These environmental changes could potentially affect the shrimp's molting process by extending postmolt recovery and affecting mortality rates through altering behaviors. This study investigates the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) conditions on key behaviors of L. californica during postmolt. Shrimp were exposed to a combination of pH (8.1 and 7.7) and temperature (12°C and 15°C) conditions for 50 days, during which we assessed feeding, cleaning behavior, and startle responses at two critical times postmolt (