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Pink Sea Anemone that ‘Builds Home’ for Hermit Crabs Discovered
The sea anemone Paracalliactis tsukisome creates a hardened shell for hermit crabs, enabling larger growth and protection in a mutualistic relationship, researchers said.
- On October 22, 2025, researchers from Kumamoto University announced Paracalliactis tsukisome, a new sea anemone collected at 656 to 1,640 feet in Kumano‑Nada and Suruga Bay.
- Unlike typical sea anemones, Paracalliactis tsukisome secretes a carcinoecium, a rare hardened structure among radially symmetrical animals, expanding understanding of marine evolution and deep-sea co-evolution.
- Researchers found that 3D imaging and tomography show the anemone attaches directionally, stable isotope analyses reveal it feeds on organic particles and faeces, and host crabs grow larger.
- Because it is frequently caught as bycatch, the species could become a research model and ambassador, highlighting Japan's biodiversity and bottom trawling threats, while the anemone's stinging tentacles protect hermit crabs.
- Scientists say P. tsukisome offers an exceptional opportunity to study spatial orientation, with behavioural experiments in aquariums planned to clarify its growth direction, suggesting long co-evolution.
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New sea anemone builds homes for hermit crabs
The recently discovered sea anemone Paracalliactis tsukisome creates a home for hermit crabs. Image via Yoshigawa et al./ Kumamoto University. Scientists have discovered a new species of sea anemone, Paracalliactis tsukisome, which inhabits the depths of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan. Researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan said on October 22, 2025, that this organism, with a delicate pink hue, possesses an unusual ability. It c…
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Leaning Left6Leaning Right3Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left
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43% Left
L 43%
C 36%
R 21%
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