Boxer crabs or pom pom crabs (Lybia edmondsoni) are unique marine animals because they use venomous anemones to protect themselves. Photo/MLSA
WASHINGTON – Crab boxer or pom pom crab (Lybia edmondsoni) included unique marine animal because it uses venomous anemones to protect itself. Despite its very small size, this boxer crab is known to be fierce and likes to fight using a dangerous weapon, namely the sea anemone.
Pom pom crabs grow to only about half an inch or 13 millimeters wide and have a soft exoskeleton. Known as the Hawaiian boxer crab, this tiny crustacean carries a tiny sea anemone in each claw and fights competitors.
This anemone species, Triactis producta, is known to be venomous. The boxer crab waves about the anemone as a way of defending against predators and catching food.
In a study published in 1997, researchers selected 12 pairs of Hawaiian boxer crabs, six males and six females, and pitted them against each other in a small crustacean gladiator arena. The winner is the crab that retreats or escapes the least.
The video shows that crabs use anemones more for show than for contact. Researchers have many ideas, but there is little consensus. One is that the anemone is highly toxic to the crab causing severe damage to both fighters.
Researchers also know that Hawaiian boxer crabs use anemones to collect food particles. When they lose one of the anemones, the crabs split the remaining one in half, so that there is always one in each claw.
“Scientists are still figuring out why boxer crabs stick to sea anemones. What anemones get from it is still unknown,” wrote the research results quoted by SINDOnews from the Live Science page, Monday (14/8/2023).
It is known, sea anemones are a group of predatory marine invertebrates which are the order Actiniaria. Due to their colorful appearance, they are named Anemone, a type of terrestrial flowering plant.
(wib)
2023-08-14 05:17:09
#Unique #Boxer #Crab #Venomous #Anemone #Boxing #Gloves
