Anemone and the Hermit Crab
Another creature which is a good friend of the Sea Anemone is the following.
This is known as the Hermit Crab.
He picks up shells which other sea animals have left behind and starts to live in them for protection.
They walk on the two hind legs while gripping the shell with their front claws. Its right hand claw is larger than the left. It uses this as a door once it is safely inside the shell.
Now look at what they do with their shells.
They pick up sea anemones and attach them to their shells.
The poisonous tentacles of the Anemone protect the crabs from animals like Octopus, who hunt for them. In return, the crabs drive away creatures that eat anemones such as starfish and fire worms.
The Sea Anemone gets a moving home living on the crab. It pushes out its tentacles and eats the food particles left by the crab. It also gets to travel and find food from a larger area.
One more interesting crab friend of the Anemone is the following .
The crab above is called the Boxer Crab. Why ?
Notice its claws. Those are two sea anemones attached to them. When a predator comes, they wave these anemones at them. The sting from the anemone tentacles keeps it away. The Anemone again gets to eat the left over food of this crab.
Let us now move to the land where more familiar animals : cattle on our fields, are waiting to tell us of their bird friend.
