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Hyastenus bispinosus
Small decorator crabs, like this one, are often found wearing snipped off tips of stinging hydroids on their heads to fend off predators. A commensal relationship exist between the H. bispinosus and a hydroid it choses to live in.
A small decorator crab on a stinging hydroid Cypress Sea Fern (Aglaophenia cupressina) carrying some tips of the hydroid. Spotted at Dive and Trek House Reef at a depth of about 9 m.
Spotted on Jan 21, 2012
Submitted on Feb 11, 2012
3 Comments
Thanks Argybee. Yup best sometimes to show some perspective especially for a creature as small as this. Thanks for the like
Amazing Eric. So glad you put 4 pics so I could work out where it is :)
Thanks for the like Dilek :-)