These Crabs Use Sea Anemones As Boxing Gloves To Fight Their Enemies, But They Look Like Cheerleaders

Nature is so awesome – just look at this boxer crab. Boxer crabs are a type that carries sea anemones in their claws and they look just like boxing gloves (or pom poms, if you wish).

What’s more, they fight between themselves for the anemones. The stinging anemones are thought to help crabs defend themselves against predators.

When a boxer crab loses one of its anemones, it tears the other one into two pieces. Eventually, the halves of anemones regenerate to the original size, and both the victim and the predator crabs end up with a perfect set of boxing gloves again. It’s the first known case of one animal stimulating another to reproduce asexually.

Anemones benefit from being on crab’s claws as they get scraps of crab’s food leftovers, so it’s a win-win.

(h/t)

These Crabs Use Sea Anemones As Boxing Gloves To Fight Their Enemies, But They Look Like Cheerleaders