Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Robinson B: Attack autotomy: a defense against predators.

M H Robinson, L G Abele

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |July 17, 1970
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

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

    Sort by
    Same author

    Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2018
    Same author

    Bone sarcomas: ESMO-PaedCan-EURACAN Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2018
    Same author

    Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: ESMO-EURACAN Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2018
    Same author

    Soft tissue and visceral sarcomas: ESMO-EURACAN Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2018
    Same author

    Gastrointestinal stromal tumours: ESMO-EURACAN Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

    Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2018
    Same author

    Evaluation of results of electric shock treatment of the psychoneuroses.

    Archives of neurology and psychiatry·2010
    Same journal

    Erratum for the Research Article "Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave".

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    Same journal

    Local signals, systemic decline.

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    Same journal

    The mechanics of liver regeneration.

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    Same journal

    Computing in a memory with physics.

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    Same journal

    Retraction.

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    Same journal

    Making time.

    Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026
    See all related articles

    Crabs can detach their claws (chelipeds) to escape predators. This defensive behavior is balanced by the need to keep claws for social and maintenance tasks.

    Area of Science:

    • Marine biology
    • Animal behavior
    • Evolutionary ecology

    Background:

    • Predator-prey interactions are a key driver of evolutionary adaptations.
    • Autotomy, or self-amputation, is a defense mechanism observed in various animal species.
    • Chelipeds in crabs play crucial roles in defense, foraging, and social signaling.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the defensive responses of five crab species to simulated predator attacks.
    • To determine the specific conditions under which terrestrial crabs exhibit cheliped autotomy.
    • To explore the evolutionary trade-offs between autotomy and the functional importance of chelipeds.

    Main Methods:

    • Simulated predator attacks were used to elicit defensive behaviors in five crab species.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Observations focused on the autotomy of chelipeds (claws) in response to predator attachment.
  • Behavioral data were collected and analyzed to correlate autotomy with predator interaction and cheliped function.

    • Main Results:

    • Two terrestrial crab species demonstrated cheliped autotomy when their chelae (claws) were firmly grasped by the simulated predator.
    • Autotomy occurred as a last resort when the cheliped was actively engaged with the predator.
    • The decision to autotomize appears to be influenced by the perceived threat and the cheliped's role in other activities.

    Conclusions:

    • Cheliped autotomy in these crab species is a specialized anti-predator adaptation.
    • A balance exists between the benefits of autotomy for predator escape and the costs associated with losing a cheliped.
    • The retention of chelipeds is favored when they are essential for social interactions or daily maintenance functions, highlighting selective pressures on this trait.