Learning and memory in soldier crabs: Evidence from escape task trials

Learning ability is a fundamental cognitive function that enables animals to adapt to their environment and has been studied at both individual and group levels across a wide range of taxa. However, little is known about the learning abilities of soldier crabs (Mictyris guinotae). In this study, we investigated individual learning in soldier crabs through a repetitive training task, followed by a delayed test after 12 h. The results showed that crabs exposed to the training task exhibited a significant spatial bias in area selection compared to control crabs that had not undergone training. These findings provide important foundational insights into the learning capacities of soldier crabs and establish a basis for future studies on crustacean cognition and group-level behavioral mechanisms.