Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Diversity of Archaea III

Diversity of Archaea III

Crenarchaeota, a prominent phylum of Archaea, is remarkable for its ability to thrive in extreme environments characterized by high temperatures and acidity. These microorganisms inhabit sulfuric hot springs, volcanic systems, and submarine hydrothermal vents, where temperatures often exceed 100°C. The unique adaptations of Crenarchaeota not only allow survival under such extreme conditions but also provide insights into the mechanisms of life in primordial Earth-like environments.Morphological...

Surface Appendages of Archaea

Surface Appendages of Archaea

Archaeal surface appendages are highly specialized structures essential for environmental adaptation, encompassing roles in adhesion, biofilm formation, and motility. Among these appendages, pili and archaella stand out for their distinct morphologies and functionalities, enabling archaea to thrive in diverse and often extreme environments.Pili: Adhesion and Biofilm FormationPili are filamentous structures assembled from pilin protein subunits, primarily contributing to adhesion and biofilm...

Diversity of Protists III

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

geoAMBI: A new molluscan biotic index for assessing biological condition of estuaries along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States.

Marine pollution bulletin·2026

Same author

Validation of Paromola roseburgensis Nyborg & Garassino (Brachyura: Homolidae) from the early Eocene of Oregon, USA.

Zootaxa·2023

Same author

Validation of Callianassa ocozocoautlaensis Hyžný, Vega & Coutiño, a fossil ghost shrimp (Malacostraca: Decapoda: Axiidea) from the Upper Cretaceous of Chiapas, Mexico.

Zootaxa·2023

Same author

Validation of Cretalamoha boweni Nyborg & Garassino (Brachyura: Homolidae) from the early Campanian, Upper Cretaceous of British Columbia, Canada.

Zootaxa·2023

Same author

Validation of Enoploclytia tepeyacensis Vega, Garassino, & Zapata-Jaime (Crustacea: Decapoda: Erymidae) from the Cretaceous (Campanian) of Mexico.

Zootaxa·2023

Same author

Validation of Ophthalmoplax andina Guzmán, Bermúdez, Gómez-Cruz, & Vega (Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunoidea) from the late Campanian, Upper Cretaceous of Colombia.

Zootaxa·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Published on: March 31, 2023

Specialized shell-breaking crab claws in Cretaceous seas.

Gregory P Dietl¹, Francisco J Vega

¹Paleontological Research Institution, 1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA. gpd3@cornell.edu

Biology Letters

|March 12, 2008

Summary

Fossil evidence from Mexico reveals a large Late Cretaceous crab with specialized shell-breaking claws. This discovery pushes back the evolutionary timeline for these predatory behaviors in brachyuran crabs.

More Related Videos

Cancer Borealis Stomatogastric Nervous System Dissection

Cancer Borealis Stomatogastric Nervous System Dissection

Published on: March 23, 2009

Blood Collection from the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus

Blood Collection from the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus

Published on: October 13, 2008

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Eyestalk Ablation to Increase Ovarian Maturation in Mud Crabs

Published on: March 31, 2023

Cancer Borealis Stomatogastric Nervous System Dissection

Cancer Borealis Stomatogastric Nervous System Dissection

Published on: March 23, 2009

Blood Collection from the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus

Blood Collection from the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus

Published on: October 13, 2008

Area of Science:

Paleontology
Marine Biology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

The evolution of specialized predatory behaviors in crabs is a key area of study.
Previous research suggested that shell-crushing abilities in brachyuran crabs emerged in the Early Cenozoic era.

Purpose of the Study:

To report on a newly discovered large brachyuran crab species from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico.
To analyze the morphological traits of its claws to infer its feeding behavior and evolutionary significance.

Main Methods:

Morphological analysis of fossilized crab claws.
Comparative analysis with claws of extant durophagous (shell-crushing) crabs.

Main Results:

A large brachyuran crab species from the Late Cretaceous of Mexico was identified.
The crab exhibited dimorphic claws with broad teeth and a unique curved tooth structure on the right claw's movable finger.
This morphology is indicative of specialized shell-breaking behavior, similar to modern durophagous crabs.

Conclusions:

Specialized shell-breaking crab predators evolved during the Cretaceous period.
This finding challenges the previously established timeline for the origin of shell-crushing adaptations in brachyuran crabs.