Tiny boxer crabs are ready to do anything to avoid losing their “pom-poms”, even going so far as to tear other creatures to pieces.
The ocean is full of mysterious creatures whose behavior can sometimes be fascinating or terrifying. For example, a marine photographer previously managed to capture a spectacular picture of humpback whales feeding in Antarctica, creating a perfect Fibonacci spiral in the process. In a new study, scientists observed a not-so-surprising picture of how boxer crabs create “living puffs” for themselves, IFLScience writes.
Boxer crabs (Lybia edmondsoni), also known as pom-pom crabs, are a very wild species despite their miniature size. These crustaceans have learned to harness the stinging power of poisonous anemones by holding a sample of Triactis product in each paw.
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The protective mechanism of the crab actually increases the feeding capacity of the anemone, but the price of such a “bonus” is very high. If a boxer crab loses one anemone during its journey, it may split the second one in half to reduce the time and energy required to obtain a second “pom-pom.”
This practice of persecution of anemones has led to the low genetic diversity of Triactisproducta today: anemones have begun to reproduce asexually and therefore constantly create copies of themselves.
But there is another side. Previous research by scientists had shown that living as a cheerleader for boxer crabs actually gives the anemones access to more food and oxygen than they could ever obtain on their own.
Although their behavior with boxer crabs and anemones seems very scary, in reality their size is very small: their shells only reach 13 millimeters. However, their small size compensates for their appearance: The crustaceans have thin black rings around their legs and colorful polygonal patterns on their shells.
Previously Focus He wrote about the most beautiful larva in the ocean: scientists have shown a fish that does not look real.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.