Fluffy crab that wears a sea sponge hat to protect itself against predators is the latest bizarre species discovered in Australia
- The crab dubbed Lamarckdromia beagle was discovered on a beach in WA
- They use claws to trim down sea sponges and use them as hat for protection
- The sponge hats can also produce noxious chemicals to ward off predators
A fluffy crab that wears a sponge hat to camouflage itself has been discovered off the coast of Western Australia.
The new species, dubbed Lamarckdromia beagle, trim down sea sponges with their claws and then use them as a hat for protection against fish and octopi.
The crustacean use their hind legs to hold up their unusual hats, which are used as protection in the same way hermit crabs use their shells.
The sponge hats can also produce noxious chemicals to ward off predators.
The new species, dubbed Lamarckdromia beagle, trim down sea sponges with their claws and then use them as a hat for protection against fish and octopi
Dr Andrew Hosie, a curator of crustacean and worms at the Western Australian Museum, said the sponge hat will keep growing and mold to the shape of the crab’s back.
‘It will never attach … it forms a nice cap that fits quite snugly to the top of the crab,’ he told The Guardian.
The peculiar crab was spotted by a family at a beach in Denmark, in Western Australia’s south coast.
The crustacean use their hind legs to hold up their unusual hats, which are used as protection in the same way hermit crabs use their shells
They sent the crustacean to the Western Australian Museum to be identified.
Dr Hosie said the reason behind the critter’s fluffy legs wasn’t obvious, but suggested it may be to help it hide even more from prey.
‘The sponge or the ascidian that these things carry should offer it all the camouflage it needs,’ he said.
The crab was named after the HMS Beagle – the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world and to Albany, Western Australia in 1836.
They are found in the shallows but can live in water a few hundred metres deep.
Dr Hosie said it was highly likely there were many other unknown species lurking in Australian waters.
The crab was named after the HMS Beagle – the ship that carried Charles Darwin around the world and to Albany, WA in 1836