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Never thought I would ever empathize with a hermit crab. But somehow the 'situation' the creature is in, provides me with a feeling of recognition.


According to this video marine biologists in New Zealand are using glass shells to study hermit crabs.  The crabs voluntarily move into the hand-blown glass shells with 7-10 days of the glass shells being added to the tanks – forcing the crabs in, would not be deemed acceptable by the institution’s ethics committee that oversees all experimental design involving animals and humans. This peculiar image of the week was taken by wildlife photographer Frank Greenaway.


Via Madscientistnz. Thanks Selby!

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2 comments

  • I think it would be cool to have a crab in a glass shell.. until it died...then gross...but as a study environment..cool

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  • As a piece of glasswork it's remarkable they can make it spiral sufficiently to please a hermit crab's anatomy. It seems a little undignified sure*, but it's rather cool to see that's never been visible before. Owner's of pet hermit crabs would love it, though the cost might be prohibitive!

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