The hermit crab-sea anemone (HCA) partnership is a common facultative mutualism. The anemone protects its host from predators such as cephalopods and shell crushing crabs by its stinging cells. The crab provides the anemone with a hard substrate and increased access to oxygenated water and food ...
Protection of symbiotic cnidarians by their hermit crab hosts - evidence for mutualism Experiments demonstrated that Pagurus policaris provided protection for anemones and hydroids against sea stars (Echinaster spinulosus), while Dardanus venosus protected Calliactis from fireworms (Hermodice carunculata...
The anemone-crab mutualism is ubiquitous in temperate and tropical marine environments. In this symbiosis, one or more anemones live on a shell inhabited by a hermit crab and reciprocal phoretic, trophic, and defensive benefits are exchanged between the partners. Sea anemone-hermit crab symbionts ...
MutualismDistributionBiometryAegean SeaThe small-scale distribution and resource utilization patterns of hermit crabs living in symbiosis with sea anemones were investigated in the Aegean Sea. Four hermit crab species, occupying shells of nine gastropod species, were found in symbiosis with the sea ...
Symbioses between hermit crabs and sea anemones, e.g., Calliactis spp., are commonly considered mutualistic. Benefits to the sea anemone have not been clearly demonstrated, but the hermit crab is thought to benefit, in part, by receiving protection. In the present study, the effectiveness of...
The clownfish-sea anemone symbiosis has been a model system for research into complex mutualistic relationships. In this mutualism, the clownfish live in, mate, and lay eggs within the area covered by the body and tentacles of the host sea anemone. In at least some of the partnerships, the ...