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Nature & Environment

Hordes of spider crabs gather near Melbourne

By T.K. Randall
June 17, 2016 · Comment icon 9 comments

The crabs gathered en masse. Image Credit: Sheree Marris / Facebook / YouTube / The Nature of Science
An Australian aquatic scientist has captured footage of the crustaceans congregating in Port Phillip Bay.
Each year as the ocean cools, hundreds of thousands of spider crabs migrate en masse to the warmer waters of Australia's southern shores.

Now scientist Sheree Marris, who describes herself on social media as the "love child of David Attenborough and Ariel the mermaid", has released new video footage showing spider crabs gathering together in such large numbers that it looks like the sea floor is alive.
"Who would have thought something like this, that is so spectacular, could be happening in Australia on the southern shore," she said. "People think Port Phillip Bay's a marine wasteland … but this is really unique and it's really spectacular."

Scientists are not completely sure why the crabs gather together like this but one theory is that, during moulting, they congregate in large groups for mutual protection from predators.



Source: BBC News | Comments (9)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #1 Posted by ShadowBoy86x 8 years ago
Another one? Didnt think crabs where so unexplained!
Comment icon #2 Posted by BadChadB33 8 years ago
Mmmmmmmmm crab legs!!
Comment icon #3 Posted by jarjarbinks 8 years ago
Dont be late for that Cthulhu convention
Comment icon #4 Posted by BeastieRunner 8 years ago
We should use the bog butter from the other article to eat them!
Comment icon #5 Posted by Still Waters 8 years ago
Related - I would not have liked that!
Comment icon #6 Posted by Ugly1 8 years ago
If anyone remembers, the last time a phenomenon like this was witnessed there was a MASSIVE earthquake within 48 hours. I actually believe it was within 24 hours but I'm giving myself a bit of wiggle room. This was the South American quake a few months back. And I believe the earthquake was several hundred miles to the south east of where the crabs were spotted.   Edit: I just wanted to point that out in the case of a massive earthquake hitting Australia in the next 48 hours. This may be something we could watch for in the future.
Comment icon #7 Posted by Scuzzy 8 years ago
For a moment, I thought they were running from illegal Chinese poachers!
Comment icon #8 Posted by BeastieRunner 8 years ago
No earthquake yet. EDIT ONE: One just hit Namatanai, Papua New Guinea. 6.1! CRAZY SAUCE! EDIT TWO: One hit Kangaroo Island Saturday, too. 4.7.
Comment icon #9 Posted by Ugly1 8 years ago
Strange. I wonder if the two are related.


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