The appearance of crab is commensurate with the living environment

According to a new study, crabs tend to live in environments that make them easy to disguise.

Researchers from the University of Exeter contrasted the color characteristics of marshy green crabs with blue crabs that live in reef waters in a study published on Scientific Reports last Friday. They collected green crabs from six locations in Cornwall, England.

Crabs tend to live in environments that make them easy to disguise.

Researcher Martin Stevens said: 'Crab is very diverse in color and pattern and often extremely difficult to see. We used image analysis to simulate predators (birds and fish) to check how green crabs disguise themselves. '

The researchers captured 47 photographs of crabs in reef waters and swamps. The water environment has reefs with large rocks forming deep trenches containing gravel and sand. In contrast, the swamp environment has large dark brown mud flats and algae on the surface, with rocks and other objects lying around.

The appearance of the marsh crab is quite similar to the mud where they live, while the reef waters have faded themselves by immersing themselves in the surroundings with high contrasting colors. That concept is called 'breakthrough color'.

Unlike previous studies analyzing the suitability of the surrounding environment and disguised disguise by self-created systems, this study examined the camouflage environment used by real animals.

Stevens said: 'Green crabs are often thought to be dull and green, but in fact, they can be quite colorful and each can be completely different. Our research partly explains why blue crabs are so diverse. '

• Top of unprecedented species of crabs