Hermit crab and sea anemone demonstrate one of the most amazing and unusual examples of cooperation of various species in the wild - the symbiosis of such dissimilar creatures has been admiring scientists for many years. Perhaps many readers will also be interested to know more about them.
What is symbiosis?
To begin with, weβll figure out what is represented by such marine inhabitants as hermit crab and sea anemone, symbiosis. This term is translated from Greek as "life together." Most people know that this is what they call a form of coexistence of two different living organisms, from which both benefit. There are quite a few examples of this. Moreover, mutualism is quite common - the hermit crab and sea anemone simply cannot live without each other, quickly dying apart.
This is a rather interesting topic - we will consider it more carefully.
Several types of collaboration
Symbiosis and mutualism are quite often used terms in biology. Let's get started with the first, and a little later with the second.
In general, everything is simple here: a common feature of these processes is the fact that in both cases, two cohabiting neighbors, traveling together, get certain advantages from cooperation. For example, in animals such as hermit cancer and sea anemone, the symbiosis is that the first feeds the second, and the second protects the first.
Hermit crab just gently transplanted anemone on its sink. And she does not resist at all, as if she knows with whom she is dealing. But most marine inhabitants try to stay away from her. At first glance, many species of sea anemones are a beautiful living flower. But experts know that some species have such strong poison that just one drop is enough to kill a not-too-large animal, such as a dog. The body of the sea anemone is covered with stinging cells, killing small organisms, and large causing serious burns.
Hermit crab is well aware of this - just so that predators stay away from him, he transplantes the sea anemone on his carapace. And he does this very carefully, at first gently touching her body with firm claws, as if stroking, persuading him to change his place of residence. For this, anemone does not show any aggression towards its new neighbor, allowing it to be transplanted to the sink in which it lives and with which it travels along the seabed.
But in symbiosis, each side should benefit. This is what happens. The fact is that sea anemone, sitting in one place, can relatively rarely catch suitable prey - small fish, invertebrates. The victims, remembering the place where the dangerous predator is located, try to stay away from it. Actinia itself moves very slowly. This is where the hermit crab comes to the rescue. Sitting on its sink, anemone actively travels through vast territories, much more often getting its own food. Moreover, sometimes the remnants of a meal of cancer are passed on to her.
But in nature, there are hundreds of species of hermit crabs and no less than varieties of sea anemones. Each of them has certain features. Studies show that in hermit cancers and sea anemones, the type of relationship can vary significantly. Let's talk about the most common and interesting options.
Temporary Allies
These include quite a few varieties of hermit crabs. They have a soft abdomen, not protected by a chitinous shell, which is why they often become prey for fish and octopuses. To prevent this, the hermit crab uses shells as its lodge. And not any - he is constantly looking for those that have left other cancers of his species or closely related - they are already sitting on anemone. Thus begins the symbiosis, but it does not last too long.
As soon as the hermit crab outgrows its old shell, he, without hesitation, throws it with sea anemone, setting off in search of new housing. However, sea anemone rarely misses alone for a long time - there are a lot of small crabs in the sea, and soon its shell will probably be chosen by another hermit crab, and they will again travel along the seabed.
Faithful comrades
But in such amazing animals as hermit crab and sea anemone, the type of relationship can be completely different. First of all, this includes the arrosor cancer and parasitic sea anemone (this is just the name, because in this symbiosis both sides benefit from the union).
Having found his first home, a young hermit crab will definitely go in search of a suitable neighbor, just as small as to not cause unnecessary problems during movement. They travel a lot, eat actively and, accordingly, grow quite quickly. Very little time passes, and the cancer becomes cramped in the old sink. Yes, and sea anemone is almost falling off her. How to be? The answer is known - it's time to look for a new home.
Usually there are no problems with this - just wander a little along the seabed to find a suitable option. But when a larger shell is found, the hermit crab Arrosor not only moves into it, but acts very nobly - it also transfers the sea anemone to a new place. And again, old, trusted friends continue their fascinating journeys.
In this example, it is especially clearly seen that in marine inhabitants such as hermit crab and sea anemone, the symbiosis is simply indestructible.
Friends for life
But even such an alliance fades before the cooperation of the hermit crab and anemia adamsia.
Everything begins as usual: the first finds a shell, settles in it, transplantes the second onto its back. And this is a union for life. And here there are three sides - the sink will also never leave its owners.
The fact is that sea anemone, gradually growing up, releases quick-hardening mucus from the body. That is, she just completes the sink, so that she would be comfortable, and it would not occur to her neighbor to look for a more suitable option.
Left without a shell, the hermit crab dies in a few days, becoming the prey of predators. A grown-up, accustomed to eat well sea anemone, Adamsia will stretch on a starvation diet, sitting in one place, from strength for several months.
They are the clearest example of mutualism. This is not a very common phenomenon in biology, but the term itself is beautifully illustrated by this union.
Conclusion
The article ends. Now you know more about what is symbiosis and mutualism. And at the same time we learned that hermit cancer and sea anemones can have a variety of cooperation formats.