Boxer Crabs

ocean · tiny creatures · animal teamwork

Built-in bodyguards. Boxer crabs hold stinging sea anemones in their specially shaped claws and wave them like pom-poms to scare away predators. The anemones' stinging tentacles protect the crab from being eaten.

Helping each other. This friendship works both ways. The crab gives the anemone rides around the ocean floor and scraps of food, while the anemone keeps the crab safe from danger.

Tiny ocean fighters. Boxer crabs are super small, living in shallow waters across the Indian and Pacific Oceans where they hunt for tiny bits of food on the seafloor.

Ancient creatures. These clever crabs have existed for millions of years, with fossils showing they were already around during the Middle Miocene period.