2004/01/01 by Yisrael Schnytzer, Yaniv Giman, Ilan Karplus +2 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Computer Science · Environmental Science · Medicine · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Anemone #Asexual reproduction #Biology #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Crustacean biology and ecology #Ecology #Education and Critical Thinking Development #Educational Challenges and Innovations #Genetic diversity and population structure #Medicine #Obligate #Psychology #Sea anemone #Zoology
paper · pdf · doi:10.7717/peerj.2954
openalex publication_date 2004/01/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/04/28
Crabs of the genus <i>Lybia</i> have the remarkable habit of holding a sea anemone in each of their claws. This partnership appears to be obligate, at least on the part of the crab. The present study focuses on <i>Lybia leptochelis</i> from the Red Sea holding anemones of the genus <i>Alicia</i> (family Aliciidae). These anemones have not been found free living, only in association with <i>L. leptochelis</i>. In an attempt to understand how the crabs acquire them, we conducted a series of behavioral experiments and molecular analyses. Laboratory observations showed that the removal of one anemone from a crab induces a "splitting" behavior, whereby the crab tears the remaining anemone into two similar parts, resulting in a complete anemone in each claw after regeneration. Furthermore, when two crabs, one holding anemones and one lacking them, are confronted, the crabs fight, almost always leading to the "theft" of a complete anemone or anemone fragment by the crab without them. Following this, crabs "split" their lone anemone into two. Individuals of <i>Alicia</i> sp. removed from freshly collected <i>L. leptochelis</i> were used for DNA analysis. By employing AFLP (Fluorescence Amplified Fragments Length Polymorphism) it was shown that each pair of anemones from a given crab is genetically identical. Furthermore, there is genetic identity between most pairs of anemone held by different crabs, with the others showing slight genetic differences. This is a unique case in which one animal induces asexual reproduction of another, consequently also affecting its genetic diversity.