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Use of plastic debris as shelter by an unidentified species of hermit crab from the Maldives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2009

João P. Barreiros  and
Osmar J. Luiz Jr
João P. Barreiros*
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciências Agrárias and ImarAçores, Universidade dos Açores, 9701-851 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal
Osmar J. Luiz Jr
Affiliation:
Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: João P. Barreiros, Universidade dos Açores, Departamento de Ciências Agrárias and ImarAçores, 9701-851 Angra do Heroísmo, Portugal email: joaopedro@uac.pt
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Abstract

An unidentified species of hermit crab from the Maldives was photographed using a plastic box as shelter instead of a natural shell. This could be a result of increased pollution and shell collection disrupting the natural processes in coral reefs.

Keywords

Hermit crabsplastic debrisMaldivesanomurashell collectionpollution
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 2 , January 2009 , e33
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2009

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References

REFERENCES

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