17 June 2016
A horde of giant spider crabs has
amassed in waters near the Australian city of Melbourne.
Hundreds of thousands of the
crabs migrate to Australia's southern shores each year as ocean waters cool.
Australian aquatic scientist
Sheree Marris filmed
an enormous gathering of the crustaceans in Port Phillip Bay.
Ms Marris said she hoped to raise
awareness of the diversity of sea life in Australia's southern waters.
"Who would have thought
something like this, that is so spectacular, could be happening in Australia on
the southern shore," she said.
The exact reason for the
behaviour is not known, but scientists speculate it is most likely to do with
the process of moulting.
When crabs shed their hard outer
shell in order to grow, they are vulnerable to predators such as cormorants and
stingrays.
Bunching together in large
numbers provides a level of protection against being eaten.
"People think Port Phillip
Bay's a marine wasteland … but this is really unique and it's really
spectacular," Ms Marris said.
"Not only is [Melbourne] the
most liveable city above the water, it is also the most liveable below the
water."
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