Weirdiocity

Hermit Crab (Parapagurus foraminosus) with an Anemone Shell. Photo Credit: Greg Rouse By Sabrina Groves Ecosystems are full of symbiotic relationships, evolved interactions between organisms from different species, with benefits for one or multiple of the individuals involved. Made famous by Eric Carles’s children’s book, A House for a Hermit Crab , the mutualistic relationship between hermit crabs and sea anemones has become a iconographic example of interspecies cooperation. When placed on a hermit crab’s shell, an anemone becomes a loyal protector, fending off the hermit crab’s (now cautious) enemies. In exchange, the anemone is granted mobility, allowing it to collect amble amounts of food, including some scraps from its companion’s meals.