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#114897 11/02/03 12:08 AM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
W
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
I caught the end of a nature sequence this afternoon. There was this astonishing crab that was bedecking itself with bits of cloth and pearls that someone had discarded in the water. It looked like a little girl dressing up in her mother's things. Apparently it is the habit of this crab to disguise itself in bits and pieces of everything from fabrit to twine to sponge--anything that falls to the bottom--and these things adhere to this particular species of crab by way of something on its body that is akin to velcro, but I can't remember how to speel velcro.

It's not calld the gypsy crab, or the scavenger crab...I can't remember what it's called. Does anyone know?


#114898 11/02/03 12:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well, there is a generic term 'scavenger crab' that covers any crab that scavenges for food.

More interesting, a street cleaner is also referred to as a 'scavenger crab'; hadn't heard that before.

If you're interested in taking a look at many different types of crabs, check out the crab list on OneLook:

http://onelook.com/?w=*crab&ls=a


#114899 11/02/03 01:48 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
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wwh Offline
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Dear WW: Here is a URL showing picture of a crab disquised as a sponge. Down at very bottom, it gives genus name Stimdromia, but doesn't say clearly that that is name of the crab in the picture.
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/gbmovpet.html

Here is another, camouflaged with seaweed. Genus Naxia
http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/gbmov743.html



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