MAY 24,
2019
Crabs
from a single species rely on different camouflage techniques depending on what
habitat they live in, new research shows.
University
of Exeter scientists compared the colour patterns of common shore crabs (Carcinus maenas) from rock pools
with those living on mudflats.
They
found that crabs from mudflats closely matched the appearance of the mud they
live on, while rockpool crabs did not match the background but instead relied
on "disruptive colouration—the use of high-contrast patterns to break up
the appearance of the body outline.
Shore
crabs are the most common crab found on Britain's coasts, familiar to anyone
who goes rock pooling, and the crabs examined in this study came from six sites
in Cornwall.
"The
crabs are highly variable in colour and pattern, and are often extremely
difficult to see," said Professor Martin Stevens, of the Centre for
Ecology and Conservation on the University of Exeter's Penryn Campus in
Cornwall.
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