Discovery of 'exciting' new species hidden inside shell amazes Aussies
The newly described species of hermit crab has a distinct colour pattern that appears completely different under water.
An Aussie museum was adding new shells to its collection when one of its experts noticed something fascinating hidden inside. The striking crab with bright red legs was like nothing Dr Marissa McNamara had ever seen.
“It was really exciting, especially because this hermit crab is reasonably large and distinctive-looking,” the Queensland Museum collection manager told Yahoo News on Monday.
Pulled from depths of 120 to 260 metres, little is known about the life of this newly described species of hermit crab, a type of crustacea that makes its home inside empty shells and other found objects. “It had been brought in by a trawler, so it’s not something you’d see on the beach or when snorkelling,” McNamara said.
Because the red dots on its legs resemble a strawberry it was named Strigopagurus fragarchela to reference the Latin word for the fruit. The discovery was published in Memoirs of Queensland in a paper co-authored by McNamara and Peter Davie.
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Why does the hermit crab have red legs?
There are six members of the family Strigopagurus, and Australia is lucky enough to be home to four of them. Other species have a wider range — one is found from Tasmania to NSW, and another right across southern Australia. But the new find is thought to be limited to just a small part of South East Queensland.
It appears to prefer the shells of volutes, a type of mollusc found in tropical waters whose shell is popular with collectors due to its intricate pattern and glossy sheen.
Because no one has witnessed Strigopagurus fragarchela in the wild, it’s not known why it has such distinct red markings. Although Queensland Museum has formed a tantalising theory.
“As you know, down at that depth, colours fade out from the visible spectrum. So the colour red at that depth would really just appear black,” McNamara said.
“One possible reason is when they curl up in the shell, just the tips of their claws might be visible. So the “black” tips could be a form of camouflage. It's just one of those things in science that is still a mystery.”
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What do we know about the hermit crab?
Although no one has ever seen a dinosaur up close, there are some behaviours we can assume by looking at their teeth and claws, and it’s no different when looking at the body of a modern-day hermit crab.
The Queensland Museum team noticed what’s called a stridulatory apparatus on the Strigopagurus fragarchela’s claws — a mechanism for creating sound.
“This hermit has ridges on its claws, and when it rubs them together it makes a noise,” McNamara said.
Having examined other hermit crabs with similar sound-creating devices, it’s understood they’re used as a defence mechanism.
“Hermits fight each other because there’s always competition for shells. When they tussle with each other, the defensive hermit will rub its claws together making a stridulating sound — it’s a warning noise to say 'go away',” she added.
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