Hermit crabs with more sensitive claws may be bolder in their decisions
Researchers explored how differences in the animals’ sensory abilities influenced how long it took them to recover after being startled

My research is often inspired by my observations of hermit crabs in the lab and out in their natural habitat, and focuses on the role of information and sensation in crustacean behaviour and physiology.
Ari Drummond
PhD researcher and lead author
We’ve known for a long time that individual animals of the same species can show consistent behavioural differences from one another. Our new research suggests that in hermit crabs, some of this variation may be linked to how individuals sense the world around them. This possibility has been largely overlooked, but if sensory investment helps explain personality in hermit crabs, it may do so in other animals as well.
Professor Mark Briffa
Professor of Animal Behaviour
Researchers explored how differences in the animals’ sensory abilities influenced how long it took them to recover after being startled
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