The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Crustaceans The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Crustaceans
Showing posts with label Crustaceans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crustaceans. Show all posts

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Hermit Crabs “Sexually Excited” by Oleamide – an Additive Released by Plastics Found Under the Sea


LONDON – Oceans around the world are facing a plastic pollution crisis. But there’s one species that may be getting a little too excited about it: hermit crabs.

A chemical that is leaked from plastic dumped in the ocean is probably arousing hermit crabs, according to researchers studying the impact of climate change, plastic and other molecules in the ocean on marine species.

The team of scientists from England’s University of Hull examined 40 crabs found in the waters off the Yorkshire coast and found signs that the crustaceans may be “sexually excited” by oleamide – an additive released by plastics found under the sea.

Oleamide elevates the respiration rate of hermit crabs, which indicates excitement, researchers said, adding that the product is already considered to be a sex pheromone for some insects. “Our study shows that oleamide attracts hermit crabs,” PhD candidate Paula Schirrmacher said in a statement released Tuesday.

“Respiration rate increases significantly in response to low concentrations of oleamide, and hermit crabs show a behavioral attraction comparable to their response to a feeding stimulant,” she said.

Schirrmacher noted that oleamide has “a striking resemblance to oleic acid, a chemical released by arthropods during decomposition,” which may explain way it is mistaken for food and ingested by animals – which potentially increases their consumption of microplastics.

The new findings come as governments around the world continue to grapple with the major issue of climate change and its impact on the planet.

At a recent three-day summit in Cornwall, England, leaders from the Group of Seven gathered to discuss the growing crisis along with other pressing topics. During the June meeting, leaders pledged more-ambitious climate goals and reaffirmed their support to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

Without action, there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050, a study published by the World Economic Forum in 2016 warned.

More than 8 million metric tons of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans every year, according to the World Wildlife Fund, which estimated that at least 90 percent of birds have plastic in their stomachs and that 1 in 2 marine turtles have consumed plastic – including bags and straws.

“The problem of plastic in nature, particularly in our oceans, is a global crisis,” the organization said in 2019 as it called on people to work together to help nature become plastic-free by 2030.

This story was originally published at washingtonpost.com. Read it here


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Thursday, September 3, 2020

How To Care For A Pet Fiddler Crab: Species Profile


The term "fiddler crab" refers to about 100 species and subspecies of crabs from the genus Uca. They’re found along beaches and brackish (a mixture of saltwater and freshwater) waterways around the world. Male and female fiddler crabs are easily distinguished by looking at their claws. The females have small claws while the males have one distinctive large claw. This large claw, held in such a way that it resembles a fiddle (violin), is how fiddler crabs got their name. Fiddler crabs are fun to watch and fairly easy to keep as pets, with few health concerns and docile personalities. Their housing takes up minimal space, and there are many commercial foods available to provide them with a balanced diet.

To read more on this story, click here: How To Care For A Pet Fiddler Crab: Species Profile

You may be interested in reading, Fiddler Crabs


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Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Fiddler Crabs


Fiddler crabs are small crustaceans with a distinctive enlarged claw. They live on beaches, mud flats and marshes throughout the Chesapeake Bay.

Appearance

Three species of fiddler crabs can be found in the Chesapeake Bay region: the red-jointed fiddler crab, Uca minax, the marsh fiddler crab, Uca pugnax, and the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator.

Fiddler crabs vary in color from tan to brown. Sand fiddler crabs are lighter than the other two species. Males have one enlarged claw that can grow to 1.5-2 inches long while females’ claws are equal size. The carapace (shell) is squared with rounded rear edges. The red-jointed fiddler crab’s carapace has a groove behind each eye. Male marsh fiddler crabs have a royal blue spot on the center of the carapace, while male sand fiddler crabs have a blue or purplish carapace. Carapace varies in size from less than an inch wide to 1.5 inches wide. The marsh fiddler crab is the smallest fiddler crab in the Bay region and the red-jointed fiddler crab is the largest. Fiddler crabs have four pairs of walking legs.

To read more on this story, click here: Fiddler Crabs




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Saturday, June 13, 2015

Thousands of Tuna Crabs Have Invaded the Beaches of San Diego Bay


The thumb-sized crustaceans started washing ashore further up the California coast earlier this year, but turned up this week in San Diego in unusually larger numbers, officials said.

They’ve washed ashore periodically over the years because of any number of natural effects, but research scientist Michael Shane of the Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute in San Diego cited El Nino as the phenomenon that might have pushed the crabs up from their normal habitat far offshore.

The result is certain death and nothing can be done to save the crabs.

“The crabs start to die because the local waters are much cooler,” Shane told ABC News today. “Local animals have begun to eat the crabs and they have been found in the gut contents of sea lions, fish, and birds.”

The remaining carcasses will remain on the shore until they decompose or are swept back into the water.



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